Politics
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Lawyers say Varma ceased to be a judge on resignation
LiveLaw··14 Aug
LiveLaw reported that Justice Yashwant Varma's April 2026 resignation to the President took effect at once, even though no gazette notification has appeared and the Allahabad High Court website still listed him among sitting judges. Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran said a High Court judge's resignation needs no acceptance. The Lok Sabha inquiry panel this week found the cash charges proved.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you check the Allahabad High Court judges list, Varma still appeared in the seniority table even after an April resignation lawyers treat as effective.
- Readers of the cash-at-residence case can note the Lok Sabha committee has now recorded findings even though impeachment cannot remove a former judge.
- Anyone watching judicial perks can see Gopal asking the High Court to clarify whether sitting-judge benefits continued after April.
What's Happening
- The Lok Sabha committee this week held the charges on unexplained currency at Varma's Delhi residence proved.
- He had written to the President in April 2026 resigning with immediate effect, before the committee closed.
- The Allahabad High Court site and a May Department of Justice list still showed him as a sitting judge, which lawyers call an administrative error.
Why Notification Is Not the Same as Office
- Gopal Chandra Misra 1978 is the Constitution Bench case on High Court resignation. Immediate resignation cannot be withdrawn. A dated-future letter can, until that date.
- Burnt bundles of Rs 500 notes were found in a storeroom at Varma's Delhi official residence during a March 2025 fire. He was then transferred to Allahabad.
- The in-house report went to the President and Prime Minister. A statutory committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968 was set up in August 2025 and continued after the resignation.
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