File photo of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra
Opposition leaders on Friday submitted a notice for the impeachment of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra to vice president Venkaiah Naidu.
"We have moved an impeachment motion for removal of CJI Dipak Misra under five listed grounds," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told a press conference after meeting Vice President Naidu.
He said while submitting the motion, the opposition party leaders did not discuss its merits but just requested that "this is our motion and the number required is sufficient under the constitution".
Also Read: 'CJI Dipak Misra violated constitutional norms': Congress-led Oppn after giving notice for impeachment to RS chairman
He said that 71 MPs from seven political parties had signed the impeachment motion but as seven have retired, the number is now 64.
The move comes following the Supreme Court (SC) judgment of yesterday, which dismissed the demand for an investigation into the death of CBI judge BH Loya.
As it happened:
04:07 pm: Congress conpsired in Judge Loya death case: BJP Spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi
02:33 pm: I am not party to or privy with discussions that have taken place between different parties and for me to reflect specifically on whether the grounds are justified would be unfair: Salman Khurshid
02:32 pm: Impeachment is too serious a matter to be played with frivolously on the grounds of disagreement with any judgement or point of view of the Court.: Salman Khurshid
01:59 pm: It is absolutely false that Manmohan Singh did not sign the Impeachment Motion against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra: Kapil Sibal, Congress
01:48 pm: Salman Khurshid says court's decision should be considered as final. There should be no objection to it.
01:32 pm: There are various taped conversations with the CBI in which a retired Orissa High Court judge is talking about some deals with other people. This conversation also mentions the CJI...this ia a very serious issue: Kapil Sibal
01:28 pm: Democracy and Constitution should be protected and we are hopeful that it will be done: Kapil Sibal
01:21 pm: When the judges of the Supreme Court themselves believe that the Judiciary's independence is at threat, alluding to the functioning of the office of the CJI, should the nation stand still and do nothing?: Kapil Sibal
01:17 pm: Kapil Sibal lists second charge on CJI as the allotment of cases.
01:16 pm: No other way to protect the institution except the impeachment motion. We are doing so with a very heavy heart: Kapil Sibal
01:15 pm: We wish this day had never come in the fabric of our constitutional framework. Since the day he (Dipak Misra) was appointed as CJI there have been questions raised in the manner in which he has dealt with certain cases: Kapil Sibal
01:14 pm: We were hoping that the anguish of the judges would be addressed by the CJI. More than three months have passed, nothing has changed: Kapil Sibal
01:12 pm: Didn't want this day to come, hope the Vice President will accept the impeachment motion: Kapil Sibal
01:10 pm: 71 MPs had signed the impeachment motion (against CJI) but as 7 have retired the number is now 64. We have more than the minimum requirement needed to entertain the motion and we are sure that the Hon Chairman will take action: Ghulam Nabi Azad after meeting Vice President
01:09 pm: We have listed five reason for the impeachment of CJI: Congress
01:08 pm: 7 parties, including SP, BSP, CPM, CPI, Muslim League have extended support
01:07 pm: We have moved an impeachment motion seeking the removal of CJI Dipak Misra: Ghulam Nabi Azad after meeting Vice President Venkaiah Naidu
Earlier, a delegation of seven opposition political parties, led by Congress leader Ghulam Nabi azad met Vice President and the Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to discuss their proposed impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday termed as very unfortunate the public statements, including those made by lawmakers, on impeachment of judges.
"We are all very disturbed about it," a bench comprising Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said after the counsel appearing for the petitioner raised the issue of politicians making public statements on impeachment of judges.
At a time when political slugfest continues over Supreme Court's verdict dismissing petitions seeking a SIT probe into the death of Judge BH Loya, the Left parties, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress are likely to move motion on removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in the wake of Loya case judgement.
The Opposition has been working on bringing various parties on board for a larger consensus on bringing the impeachment motion against the CJI.
The development comes a day after the apex court rejected multiple pleas for an independent probe into the death of special CBI judge BH Loya, holding he died of "natural causes" in a verdict that sparked a bitter slugfest between the BJP and the Congress.
The court also rebuked the petitioners saying from their PILs it becomes clear that "a real attempt and frontal attack" was made on the independence of judiciary and that the present case was a manifestation to carry forward a personal agenda.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud also observed that the petitions were instituted at the behest of rivals to "settle political scores".
