Impeachment proceedings against Justice Sen begin
August 17th, 2011 - 5:25 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS) Impeachment proceedings began Wednesday against Calcutta High Court Judge Soumitra Sen with Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP Sitaram Yechury moving the motion against him in the Rajya Sabha.
Sen is the second judge in Indian history after Justice V. Ramaswami of the Supreme Court in May 1993 to face impeachment proceedings for unbecoming conduct.
In a powerful speech, Yechury said the motion was against an individual judge and not against the institution of the judiciary itself, which has been assigned a central position in the Indian constiution and is held in high esteem.
“A high judicial office is an office of trust. This motion has been moved to strengthen judiciary.”
Justice Sen, who is in the Rajya Sabha, will get 90 minutes to defend the charges against him. Following his defence, the house will debate the motion and vote on it. If the motion is passed by two thirds of the members present and voting, it will go to the Lok Sabha within a week. After it is approved by both the houses of parliament, the motion goes to the president who will remove the judge from office.
The controversial judge was found guilty by a special committee constituted by Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari. The committee found charges of financial irregularities against Justice Sen to be correct. He is accused of misappropriating around Rs.24 lakh in the 1990s when he was a lawyer and appointed receiver by the Calcutta High Court.
- Impeachment proceedings: Justice Sen claims innocence (Lead) - Aug 17, 2011
- 'Decide impeachment in accordance with conscience' (Second Lead) - Aug 17, 2011
- Sen second judge ever to face impeachment process - Aug 17, 2011
- What does impeachment of a judge mean? (Lead) - Aug 17, 2011
- Rajya Sabha votes to impeach Justice Soumitra Sen (Lead) - Aug 18, 2011
- Rajya Sabha resumes impeachment debate - Aug 18, 2011
- Soumitra Sen accepts Lok Sabha's stand - Sep 06, 2011
- Rajya Sabha makes history; votes for Justice Sen's impeachment (Third Lead) - Aug 19, 2011
- Rajya Sabha creates history; votes for Justice Sen's impeachment (Second Lead) - Aug 18, 2011
- Rajya Sabha panel holds Justice Sen guilty of corruption - Nov 10, 2010
- Lok Sabha drops impeachment motion against Sen - Sep 05, 2011
- Rajya Sabha trial unfair: Justice Soumitra Sen - Aug 19, 2011
- Apex court dismisses plea on Soumitra Sen impeachment - Nov 25, 2011
- No impeachment motion against Justice Sen in Lok Sabha - Sep 05, 2011
- Lok Sabha likely to take up Justice Sen impeachment - Sep 03, 2011
Tags: calcutta high court, central position, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, constiution, court judge, CPI, financial irregularities, hamid ansari, houses of parliament, impeachment proceedings, indian history, judicial office, judiciary, lakh, Lok Sabha, New Delhi, rajya sabha, sitaram, special committee