Overview
- A Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed Justice Yashwant Varma’s petition challenging the Speaker’s decision to admit the motion and form an inquiry committee.
- The court rejected arguments that a joint committee was mandatory when notices were filed in both Houses and upheld the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman’s authority to decline admission of the Upper House motion.
- With the ruling, the three-member panel appointed on August 12, 2025 can proceed, comprising Justice Aravind Kumar, Madras High Court Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, and senior advocate B V Acharya.
- Justice Varma submitted a written response on January 12 denying any cash recovery and stating he was not present during the March 2025 fire, and he is scheduled to appear before the committee on January 24.
- The inquiry follows reports of burnt currency found at his Delhi residence during the fire, an in-house Supreme Court probe that found his explanation unsatisfactory, and his transfer from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court.