Judicial Accountability in Focus as Rajya Sabha Raises Concerns Over Cash Seizure from Delhi HC Judge's Residence:

The unearthing of large sums of cash from the official residence of a Delhi High Court judge captured the attention of the Rajaya Sabha on Friday. It was during this discussion when Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had underscored the importance of taking steps to ensure judicial accountability. He called to attention the follow up issue with the government regarding his earlier representation by 55 members of the House.

The Congress chief whip Jairam Ramesh led the disscussion regarding the astonishing reports concerning cash amounting to more than millions of rupees and its connection And its purported connection with the judge Yashwant Varma’s residence. Ramesh recollected the controversial statements made by the Allahabad High Court judge, precisely the words of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav about Muslims during the VHP program. Ramesh did not mention the two judges by name, but reminded the House about an earlier account where about fifty members put an assembly into a representation and gave it to the Chairman regarding judicial accountability.

The issue was handed over to the Chairman, where he explained he is in possession concerning this issue where 55 members of the house have submitted a proposal accordingly arguing to state he is working on obtaining the verification. “I have taken the necessary steps,” Dhankhar said.

Ramesh’s concern was addressed by the chairperson who said, “You all will recall if the mechanism which was passed by this house with near unanimity, with no dissension, only one abstention in Rajya Sabha, all political parties were going in for the initiative of the government I wish to find out the status of that which emanated from Indian Parliament made sacrosanct by endorsement of 16 state assemblies in the country and signed by the Hon’ble President under Article 111 of the Constitution. That historic legislation endorsed by this parliament with unprecedented consensual support unknown to parliamentary history of this country, dealt with the malaise very profoundly. If the malaise were dealt with, perhaps we would not have had to circumspect such kind of issues. What worries me is the incident taking place and not surfacing immediately,” said Dhankhar. The leader of the house JP Nadda wasn’t there when this issue arose, but he did, however, join the proceedings after some time.