Impeachment proceedings against Justice Yashwant Varma were set in motion after 152 MPs submitted a signed memorandum to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday. The High Court judge is facing removal over allegations of misconduct following the discovery of unaccounted cash at his residence.

The motion, filed under Articles 124, 217, and 218 of the Constitution, garnered support from lawmakers across party lines, including the BJP, Congress, TDP, JDU, CPM, and others. Signatories include MPs Anurag Thakur, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Supriya Sule, KC Venugopal, and PP Chaudhary.

In the Upper House, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said he received a motion seeking Justice Varma’s removal, signed by over 50 Rajya Sabha MPs. Since 152 Lok Sabha MPs submitted a similar notice, he directed the secretary-general to take necessary steps to move the impeachment process forward.

According to sources, both Houses will jointly constitute a three-member inquiry committee to examine allegations against Justice Varma. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is likely to announce the formation of the panel on Tuesday.

The committee is expected to include a Supreme Court judge, a High Court Chief Justice, and a prominent jurist, as mandated under the Judges Inquiry Act. Based on the findings of its probe, a report on whether or not to impeach the judge may be submitted by the next Parliament session, sources added.

The Constitution mandates that the removal of a Supreme Court or High Court judge must follow a Presidential order, preceded by a motion signed by at least 100 Lok Sabha or 50 Rajya Sabha MPs. The Speaker or Chairman decides whether to admit the motion.