Members of several opposition parties on Friday submitted a notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking the impeachment of Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav over his alleged controversial remarks at a recent event organised by Vishva Hindu Parishad, PTI reports, citing sources.
The notice, signed by 55 opposition lawmakers including Kapil Sibal, Vivek Tankha, Digvijaya Singh, John Brittas, Manoj Kumar Jha, and Saket Gokhale, was handed over to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General.
The impeachment motion, filed under the Judges’ (Inquiry) Act of 1968 and Article 218 of the Constitution, calls for proceedings to be initiated against Justice Yadav.
The notice claims that a speech Yadav delivered at an event organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) contained “hate speech and incitement to communal disharmony,” in violation of the Indian Constitution.
The motion further alleges that the judge showed bias against minorities and publicly expressed views on political matters, such as a uniform civil code, which the notice argues breaches the Restatement of Values of Judicial Life, 1997.
At the VHP event on December 8, Yadav spoke in favour of a Uniform Civil Code, saying that its aim is of social harmony, gender equality, and secularism.
The following day, videos of his remarks, including controversial statements about the law working in favour of the majority, were widely shared on social media, sparking strong reactions, including from opposition leaders.
The Supreme Court took note of the controversy on Tuesday and asked the Allahabad High Court for details regarding the incident.