Background of the Issue

• The case involves allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma of Delhi High Court after burnt currency notes were found at his residence during a fire incident.
• Chief Justice of India has ordered an in-house inquiry by a three-judge panel to probe the matter.
• The decision came after a preliminary report from Delhi High Court’s Chief Justice and a response from Justice Varma.

Steps Taken by the Judiciary

• The CJI decided not to assign judicial work to Justice Varma and proposed his return to his parent court (Allahabad HC).
• The inquiry panel includes the CJ of Punjab & Haryana HC, CJ of Himachal Pradesh HC, and a Karnataka HC judge.
• Evidence such as video footage and images of burnt notes from the residence have been made public.

Key Observations and Concerns

• Justice Varma denies any connection to the cash or fire, claiming the store room was little-used and accessible to outsiders.
• The judicial system’s openness in probing its own members is appreciated, signalling a move towards institutional transparency.
• However, concerns persist over the effectiveness of the in-house inquiry system and the lack of external oversight.

Related

Larger Debate: Transparency vs Accountability

• The in-house process lacks mechanisms to ascertain facts like source of the fire, presence or absence of notes, etc.
• There is no public access to internal reports unless disclosed voluntarily.
• This incident calls for regular police investigations in such serious cases to complement judicial inquiry.

Implications for Judicial Reform

• The rare openness shown in this case may act as a template for greater transparency in the judiciary.
• It should not lead to sensationalism but rather reinforce mechanisms of judicial accountability.
• There’s a growing call for more independent, external investigations and formal judicial complaints authorities.

Conclusion

• While the judiciary must guard its independence, transparency and accountability cannot be overlooked.
• As the judiciary evolves, structured reforms in internal probe mechanisms, public reporting, and judicial conduct regulation will become necessary to maintain public trust.

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