AAP MPs initiate campaign for impeachment of judge Manjunath

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Sep 19 2014 | 8:50 PM IST
Four AAP MPs have initiated a campaign for impeachment of controversial Karnataka High Court judge K L Manjunath for "proven misbehaviour".
The MPs led by Dharam Vir Gandhi have taken the lead and plan to enlist 100 signatures so as to address to the President under Article 217 read with Article 124 (4) of the Constitution for his removal.
Gandhi claimed the campaign will gain momentum during the Winter Session of Parliament.
"We have been advised by the party chief to sign on this," said AAP MP from Fategarh Sahib Harinder Singh Khalsa.
Bhagwant Mann, another party MP from Sangrur, said AAP will approach other parties to enlist their support.
"Judiciary is the third pillar of democracy, so we want this pillar free from corruption," he said.
The move has come two months after the central government sent back the Supreme Court collegium's recommendation to transfer Manjunath to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Among the charges that the MPs have levelled against Justice Manjunath are possession of "wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income", hearing and deciding a petition in favour of a housing society in which his daughter owned a plot, and failing to declare his assets in violation of the Full Court Resolution of 1997.
Two previous attempts by Parliament to impeach sitting members of higher judiciary - Calcutta High Court judge Soumitra Sen (now retired) and Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court P D Dinakaran (now retired) - could not be taken to their logical conclusion after both resigned from their respective posts.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 19 2014 | 8:50 PM IST

Next Story