Videos of Justice Yadav speaking on provocative issues, including his purported remark on “law working according to majority” were circulated on social mediam. Allahabad high court’ sitting judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, who courted controversy over his alleged remarks at an event of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), is likely to appear before the Supreme Court collegium to explain his stand.
The apex court on December 10 took note of the news reports and sought a report from the high court. “The Supreme Court has taken note of newspaper reports of a speech given by Mr Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, a sitting judge of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad. The details and particulars have been called from the high court and the matter is under consideration,” an official statement.
According to established practices, a judge against whom a report is sought by the SC collegium on any controversial issue from the high court concerned, is given an opportunity to put forth his or her version before the Collegium headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
What Justice Shekhar Yadav said?
Justice Yadav at a VHP event on December 8, reportedly said that the main aim of the Uniform Civil Code was to “promote social harmony, gender equality and secularism.” However, videos of him speaking on provocative issues, including his remark on “law working according to majority” were widely circulated on social media. “This is Hindustan, and this country would function as per the wishes of the “bahusankhyak”,” he allegedly said.
Several opposition leaders questioned his reported statements, calling it as “hate speech”. On Friday, more than 55 opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha submitted a notice to the secretary general of the Upper House for the impeachment of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav. Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan in a letter to Chief Justice of India Sajiv Khanna, sought an “in-house inquiry” into the conduct of the Allahabad high court judge.
“A strong institutional response is needed to restore public faith in the judiciary,” the letter said, adding, “We call upon your office sir (the CJI) to restore the faith of the people in the institution of judiciary by immediately setting up an in-house committee to enquire into acts of judicial impropriety by Justice Yadav and by withdrawing all judicial work from Justice Yadav,” Bhushan wrote.
