What is the common examiner trap about Polity in UPSC exams?

Trick: Confusing the in-house inquiry committee (constituted by the CJI) with the parliamentary inquiry committee (set up by the Lok Sabha Speaker under the Judges (Inquiry) Act). The in-house committee is internal; the parliamentary committee is a formal step after impeachment motions are introduced.

What should UPSC aspirants remember about Polity for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: March 14-15, 2025 (date of incident) 2. Target this Nodal Body: Lok Sabha Speaker (constituted the parliamentary inquiry panel) 3. Target this Legal Point: Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 (Section 3 for parliamentary inquiry committee)

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News 6 of 24

Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968 Invoked: Panel Finds Unexplained Cash at Justice Varma’s Residence, Report Tabled in Parliament

Q: Which Act provides for the investigation of misbehaviour of Supreme Court and High Court judges, leading to their removal by Parliament?

Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, The Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 lays down the procedure for investigating charges of misbehaviour or incapacity against a Supreme Court or High Court judge. It is the statutory mechanism for initiating the removal process under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.

Q: Consider the following statements: 1. The inquiry committee was headed by a Supreme Court judge, Justice Aravind Kumar. 2. Justice Yashwant Varma was a judge of the Allahabad High Court at the time of the incident. 3. The committee drew an adverse inference against Justice Varma for failing to testify on oath. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct: The committee was headed by Justice Aravind Kumar of the Supreme Court. Statement 2 is incorrect: Justice Varma was a judge of the Delhi High Court at the time of the incident, not Allahabad High Court. Statement 3 is correct: The committee noted that he did not testify on oath, so an adverse inference was drawn. Hence option C is correct.

Q: According to the article, when did the fire incident occur at Justice Varma's official residence?

March 14-15, 2025, The article states that the fire occurred on the intervening night of March 14 and 15, 2025. The report was tabled in Parliament on August 12, 2026, but the incident itself took place in March 2025.

Q: What is the primary significance of the parliamentary inquiry committee in this case?

It investigated the source of cash found at the residence under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, The Lok Sabha Speaker set up the parliamentary inquiry committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 after impeachment motions were introduced in both Houses. Its purpose was to investigate the grounds for removal, specifically the unexplained cash. The transfer recommendation was made earlier by the Collegium, not by this committee.

PolityCORE

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link

12 Aug 2026

~2 min

Source: Indian Express

Key Data:March 14-15, 2025Rs 500 currency notes30 Tughlaq CrescentJudges (Inquiry) Act, 1968

Bodies:Supreme CourtDelhi High CourtLok SabhaParliamentInquiry Committee (Justice Aravind Kumar, Shree Chandrasekhar, B V Acharya)

Practice MCQs from today's news ▸

~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.Cash bundles of Rs 500 notes were found in a storeroom at Justice Varma's official residence after a fire on March 14-15, 2025, and the inquiry committee found his explanation unsatisfactory.

2.The committee, headed by SC Justice Aravind Kumar, drew an adverse inference against Justice Varma for withdrawing from proceedings and not testifying on oath.

3.The process involved an in-house inquiry by the CJI, impeachment motions in Parliament, and a parliamentary panel under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, with the SC upholding the entire procedure.

The Big Picture

Prelims · HighMains · High

A three-member parliamentary inquiry committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 has found that former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma failed to explain the source of cash bundles discovered in his official residence after a fire. This is a rare invocation of the judicial removal mechanism, making it crucial for understanding the process of judicial accountability and the role of Parliament in the impeachment of judges.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Date of IncidentMarch 14-15, 2025

Location30 Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi (official residence)

Committee HeadJustice Aravind Kumar, Supreme Court judge

Act InvokedJudges (Inquiry) Act, 1968

Key FindingUnexplained Rs 500 currency notes; unsatisfactory explanation; adverse inference

1-Minute Revision

›Date of Incident: March 14-15, 2025
›Location: 30 Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi (official residence)
›Target this Data: March 14-15, 2025 (date of incident)
›Target this Nodal Body: Lok Sabha Speaker (constituted the parliamentary inquiry panel)
›Target this Legal Point: Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 (Section 3 for parliamentary inquiry committee)

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News Snapshot

⚖️

Inquiry Committee Report

A three-member panel found unexplained cash in Justice Varma's storeroom, and he failed to cooperate, leading to adverse inference.

📜

Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968

This Act provides the procedure for investigating charges of misbehaviour against SC/HC judges, enabling parliamentary removal.

🔍

Adverse Inference

The judge withdrew from proceedings and did not testify on oath, so the committee drew an adverse inference against him.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

The removal of High Court judges is governed by Article 124(4) of the Constitution read with the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. This case is a rare instance where the entire mechanism—from an in-house inquiry by the CJI to impeachment motions and a parliamentary panel—was set in motion. The incident occurred when Justice Varma was a Delhi High Court judge, and the discovery of cash after a fire triggered the inquiry.

Core Analysis & Implications

The committee's findings highlight multiple failures: the crime scene was compromised before official inspection, evidence was not secured, and the cash subsequently disappeared. The judge's evasive response and withdrawal from proceedings led to an adverse inference. The Supreme Court upheld the process, reinforcing that the in-house inquiry and parliamentary committee are constitutional and must be complied with. This sets a precedent for accountability of higher judiciary.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The report tabled in Parliament may lead to further action, including a possible impeachment vote. This case could prompt reforms in the handling of complaints against judges, such as stricter evidence preservation protocols. It also strengthens the role of the CJI's in-house inquiry as a preliminary filter before parliamentary proceedings.

Key Facts at a Glance

Date of IncidentMarch 14-15, 2025

Location30 Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi (official residence)

Committee HeadJustice Aravind Kumar, Supreme Court judge

Act InvokedJudges (Inquiry) Act, 1968

Key FindingUnexplained Rs 500 currency notes; unsatisfactory explanation; adverse inference

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Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, SSC, State PSC

Which Act provides for the investigation of misbehaviour of Supreme Court and High Court judges, leading to their removal by Parliament?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC, SSC

Consider the following statements:

1. The inquiry committee was headed by a Supreme Court judge, Justice Aravind Kumar.

2. Justice Yashwant Varma was a judge of the Allahabad High Court at the time of the incident.

3. The committee drew an adverse inference against Justice Varma for failing to testify on oath.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, SSC, Banking

According to the article, when did the fire incident occur at Justice Varma's official residence?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, SSC, State PSC

What is the primary significance of the parliamentary inquiry committee in this case?

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Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968 Invoked: Panel Finds Unexplained Cash at Justice Varma’s Residence, Report Tabled in Parliament

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Inquiry Committee Report

Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968

Adverse Inference

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance