In a major setback for Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma, the Supreme Court has rejected his petition. He had challenged the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision to accept a motion seeking his removal and the legality of the parliamentary panel investigating corruption allegations against him.

The decision was given by a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and S C Sharma. The judges had reserved their verdict on 8 January and delivered it later.

On 16 December, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear Justice Varma’s petition. He had questioned the Lok Sabha Speaker’s action of forming a committee on his own under the Judges (Inquiry) Act to investigate the allegations.

Justice Varma, represented by senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, argued that the committee was set up unfairly under Section 3(2) of the 1968 Act. He said this violated his right to equal treatment under the law. He also pointed out that notices seeking his removal were submitted in both Houses of Parliament on the same day, but the Speaker went ahead and formed the committee without consulting the other House.