Yashwant Varma Takes Oath As Justice In Allahabad High Court

Justice Yashwant Varma took oath as a judge of the Allahabad High Court today.

Image: PTI

Justice Yashwant Varma,  who was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court amid cash-at-home allegations, took oath as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on Saturday, according to the High Court Bar Association (HCBA).

The lawyers' body, questioned why "this oath was not notified to the Bar" and asserted that it has once again eroded the trust of people in the judicial system.

In a letter dated April 5 addressed to Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Arun Bhansali, the secretary of HCBA, Allahabad, Vikrant Pandey, claimed that "legally and traditionally, the oath administered to Justice Varma is fallacious and unacceptable" and urged the Chief Justice not to assign any administrative and judicial work to the judge.

"The entire Bar Association is at pains to learn about the clandestine manner in which Justice Yashwant Varma has been administered the oath of his office at Allahabad," the letter said, PTI reported.

"In due deference to our remonstration against the repatriation of Justice Yashwant Varma to Allahabad High Court, the Hon'ble CJI had met the members of the Bar and assured that appropriate steps be taken to maintain the dignity of the judicial system," Pandey said.

"We are given to understand that the system is taking every step in a fair and transparent manner, but why this oath is not notified to the Bar, is a question which again eroded the trust of people in the judicial system," he said in the letter.

"We unequivocally condemn the manner in which Justice Yashwant Varma was administered the oath behind our backs," he said.

An in-house inquiry was ordered by CJI following the fire incident at Justice Varma's house in which "four to five semi-burnt sacks" of Indian currency notes were recovered.

(With PTI inputs)