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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Parl panel asks why no FIR lodged over cash found at Justice Varma's house
Several MPs at a Parliamentary panel meeting on Tuesday asked why no FIR has been lodged over the recovery of unaccounted cash from a high court judge's residence here and told the Department of Justice to prepare a detailed note on the matter, sources said. The MPs also demanded a code of conduct for judges, and justices in the higher judiciary should not take up government assignments till a period of five years post-retirement, they said. During a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, MPs of various parties raised the issue and posed several questions to the Ministry of Law and Justice on what it was doing in the matters raised concerning the judiciary. Sources said the secretary in the Department of Justice, who made a presentation on 'Judicial processes and their reform' concerning issues of Code of Conduct for the judges of higher judiciary and taking up post-retirement assignments by judges", was asked to prepare a comprehensive report on the issues raised and told to present it at the next panel meeting. They add that the members also sought a comprehensive bill addressing various issues and concerns on ethics and code of conduct of judges which were raised by them during the meeting. The MPs sought to know why no action had been taken on the matter concerning the recovery of unaccounted cash from the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma and demanded a code of conduct should be in place. Some MPs also asked why no motion to remove Justice Varma has been moved so far. Sources said some demanded that justice should be equitable since a government employee may lose his/her job over a small corruption issue but no action has been initiated against a senior member of the judiciary even after the recovery of unaccounted cash. MPs of several parties also demanded that the government should have brought a motion by now to remove the judge concerned, especially after a Supreme Court-appointed committee of judges found the recovery of cash to be true. After the cash recovery, Justice Varma was repatriated to his parent court -- the Allahabad High Court. He has denied the charges against him. The MPs also deliberated upon post-retirement assignments of judges and said they should not get such appointments till a period of five years after their retirement. Some MPs also said that former judges should not be appointed as MPs or to any other assignments by the President of India immediately post-retirement. The committee of the Rajya Sabha is headed by BJP MP Brij Lal and has former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is a nominated MP, former minister of state for law P P Chaudhary, TMC MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Kalyan Banerjee, Congress's Vivek Tankha, and DMK's P Wilson and A Raja as its key members. Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi did not attend Tuesday's meeting.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Unaccounted cash row: Parliamentary panel asks why no FIR against Justice Varma
Several MPs at a Parliamentary panel meeting on Tuesday (June 24, 2025) asked why no FIR has been lodged over the recovery of unaccounted cash from a high court judge's residence here and told the Department of Justice to prepare a detailed note on the matter, sources said. The MPs also demanded a code of conduct for judges, and justices in the higher judiciary should not take up government assignments till a period of five years post-retirement, they said. During a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, MPs of various parties raised the issue and posed several questions to the Ministry of Law and Justice on what it was doing in the matters raised concerning the judiciary. Sources said the secretary in the Department of Justice, who made a presentation on 'Judicial processes and their reform' concerning issues of Code of Conduct for the judges of higher judiciary and taking up post-retirement assignments by judges", was asked to prepare a comprehensive report on the issues raised and told to present it at the next panel meeting. They add that the members also sought a comprehensive bill addressing various issues and concerns on ethics and code of conduct of judges which were raised by them during the meeting. The MPs sought to know why no action had been taken on the matter concerning the recovery of unaccounted cash from the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma and demanded a code of conduct should be in place. Some MPs also asked why no motion to remove Justice Varma has been moved so far. Sources said some demanded that justice should be equitable since a government employee may lose his/her job over a small corruption issue but no action has been initiated against a senior member of the judiciary even after the recovery of unaccounted cash. MPs of several parties also demanded that the government should have brought a motion by now to remove the judge concerned, especially after a Supreme Court-appointed committee of judges found the recovery of cash to be true. After the cash recovery, Justice Varma was repatriated to his parent court — the Allahabad High Court. He has denied the charges against him. The MPs also deliberated upon post-retirement assignments of judges and said they should not get such appointments till a period of five years after their retirement. Some MPs also said that former judges should not be appointed as MPs or to any other assignments by the President of India immediately post-retirement. The committee of the Rajya Sabha is headed by BJP MP Brij Lal and has former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is a nominated MP, former Minister of State for Law P.P. Chaudhary, TMC MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Kalyan Banerjee, Congress's Vivek Tankha, and DMK's P. Wilson and A. Raja as its key members. Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi did not attend Tuesday's (June 24, 2025) meeting.
United News of India
16-06-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Supreme Court declares 2nd & 4th Saturdays as working days again from July 14
New Delhi, June 16 (UNI) In a significant administrative shift, the Ministry of Law and Justice has notified the Supreme Court (Amendment) Rules, 2025, declaring that second and fourth Saturdays—which were previously observed as off days—will now be working days once again for the Supreme Court's registry and offices. The amendment will come into effect from July 14, 2025. The notification redefines working hours and operational days under Order II, Rules 1 to 3 of the Supreme Court Rules, reflecting a move aimed at improving court administration and efficiency. Key changes introduced include the change in daily working hours: The Supreme Court office shall now remain open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on all working days, excluding holidays and partial working days. Only urgent filings will be accepted after 4:30 PM on regular working days. The Court office will now remain open on all Saturdays, including the second and fourth Saturdays, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Urgent matters will be accepted only until 12:00 noon on Saturdays. Special holidays (for example Christmas, New Year): Working hours on such days will be determined and notified by the Chief Justice of India on a case-by-case basis. This move comes as part of broader efforts to enhance access to justice, improve the pace of court operations, and optimise court infrastructure and registry responsiveness. The notification marks a return to pre-pandemic norms when the court registry operated with extended working days, thereby allowing greater procedural efficiency in case processing. This amendment follows ongoing deliberations around judicial reforms and the need to reduce pendency in courts. It is expected to ease pressure on the system by facilitating quicker administrative processing of case files, listings, and orders. The full text of the Supreme Court (Amendment) Rules, 2025 will be available on the official website of the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Law and Justice. UNI SNG SS
Hans India
15-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Committed to making India a global arbitration hub: Arjun Ram Meghwal
Invoking the country's ancient tradition of consensual dispute resolution, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the government is committed to making India a global arbitration hub. Addressing a National Conference on Institutional Arbitration, organised by the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, in collaboration with ONGC and the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC) on Saturday, the Minister said efforts are being made to promote institutional arbitration as the preferred mode of commercial dispute resolution. He said the government is also trying to highlight the IIAC as a globally competitive arbitral institution. The day-long Conference brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Law and Justice, representatives of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), legal experts and arbitration professionals. The Conference featured four technical sessions, each delving into key aspects of institutional arbitration. In addition to the participation of over 150 distinguished delegates, the Conference witnessed strong virtual engagement with over 1,600 views on social media. The first session, 'Strengthening Dispute Resolution in PSUs: The Role of Institutional Arbitration', addressed public sector-specific challenges and institutional arbitration's potential in transforming the dispute resolution landscape, particularly concerning infrastructure and public sector contracts. Speakers highlighted the need for capacity-building and called for structured, institutional processes over fragmented ad hoc mechanisms, with support from bodies like IIAC. The second session took a close look at the IIAC (Conduct of Arbitration) Regulations, 2023, breaking down key provisions and their practical relevance. A short film was also screened, showcasing IIAC's state-of-the-art infrastructure and signalling India's readiness to handle complex, high-stakes arbitrations. The third session, 'Best Practices During Arbitral Process — A Discourse', focused on procedural and institutional best practices to enhance the effectiveness of arbitration. Speakers advocated structured case management, suggesting that their regularisation under institutional rules would enhance clarity, expedite timelines, and minimise ambiguities in the arbitral process. The fourth session focused on learnings from international jurisdictions and the way ahead for the arbitration ecosystem in India. The discussion included global practices, emergency arbitration and access to legal research tools to make arbitration more accessible. The inaugural session opened with a welcome address by Justice Hemant Gupta (Retd.), Chairperson, IIAC, who discussed key challenges hindering the growth of institutional arbitration in India, particularly the continued reliance on ad hoc mechanisms. He emphasised the transition from the erstwhile International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR) to IIAC as a significant move by the Government and stressed the need for Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to adopt structured institutional frameworks.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
India will soon become the hub of arbitration, says Law Minister
New Delhi Emphasising the importance of Institutional arbitration, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday (June 14, 2025) said that India needs a strong ecosystem of alternative dispute resolution that will reduce the burden on courts and also strengthen the environment of economic confidence in the country. Speaking at a conference on 'Institutional Arbitration: An Effective Framework for Dispute Resolution', organised by the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, at Bharat Mandapam, Mr. Meghwal said that the organisations should be ready to be both flexible and rigid, depending on the need of the hour, to ensure that its interests remain protected and it contributes towards nation building. 'We need to provide a vibrant ecosystem for Alternative Dispute Resolution, which includes arbitration, mediation and conciliation. This will offer additional convenience to investors and businessmen. More importantly, it will reduce the burden of cases on Indian courts,' the Minister said. Terming arbitration as part of Indian culture, Mr. Meghwal said that the concept got 'distorted' somewhere down the line and other countries became the hub of international arbitration. 'India will soon emerge as the new hub of international arbitration,' he added. The Minister's remarks came after ONGC Chairman Arun Kumar Singh pointed out that there is a need to make the procedure of arbitration 'time-bound', which is quintessential for the business ecosystem. He also said that the arbitration should be 'more corporate' and 'less legal'. Pointing out the government's efforts to make arbitration faster and easier, Law Secretary Anju Rathi Rana said that a recent directive from the Department of Legal Affairs pushes for reducing judicial interventions and using institutional and not ad hoc arbitration. Chairman of India International Arbitration Centre, Justice (retd) Hemant Gupta, pushed for a change in the mindsets of parties to go for institutional arbitration, rather than an ad hoc system to settle commercial disputes.
