LEGAL COMMUNITY QUESTIONS DECISION AMID CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS
The Supreme Court Collegium’s decision to transfer Justice Yashwant Verma from the Delhi High Court back to his parent High Court in Allahabad amid allegations of corruption has triggered widespread outrage among legal experts and members of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association.
The Bar Association has strongly criticized the move, questioning whether the Allahabad High Court is being treated as a “trash bin” for judges facing allegations of misconduct. Given the chronic shortage of judges and the growing backlog of cases, the decision has raised concerns over judicial transparency and accountability.
FIRE INCIDENT AT JUSTICE VERMA’S BUNGALOW & DISCOVERY OF RS. 15 CRORE IN CASH
The controversy stems from an incident at Justice Verma’s official bungalow in Delhi, where a fire broke out, prompting family members to call the fire brigade and police. After extinguishing the fire, officials reportedly discovered Rs. 15 crores in unaccounted cash hidden in one of the rooms.
The incident, which made national headlines, led the Supreme Court Collegium to conduct an internal review, resulting in the decision to repatriate Justice Verma to the Allahabad High Court.
“Today, we were taken aback that Hon’ble Supreme Court has transferred Hon’ble Justice Yashwant Verma back to Allahabad High Court on the ground of his involvement in corruption wherein a sum of Rs. 15 crores has been found in his bungalow by the fire department,” the Allahabad High Court Bar Association stated in a letter to the Chief Justice and other High Court judges.
BAR ASSOCIATION CONDEMNS DECISION, CITES JUDICIAL CRISIS
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association has expressed serious concerns over the transfer, especially at a time when the High Court is already facing a significant shortage of judges.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Association questioned the Supreme Court’s approach, stating:
“This decision of the collegium of the Supreme Court raises a serious question as to whether the Allahabad High Court is a trash bin. This matter becomes important when we examine the current situation wherein the Allahabad High Court is short of hon’ble judges and despite the continuous problems, new judges have not been appointed for many years.”
The letter also pointed out issues in the judicial appointment process, stating that the Bar was not consulted when elevating judges from within its ranks.
“Consideration of eligibility appears to be not up to the mark. Something is lacking, which has resulted in corruption and, consequently, great damage has been caused to the ‘public faith in the judiciary.'”
The Association further highlighted previous Supreme Court observations about the Allahabad High Court, including the remark: “Something rotten in Allahabad High Court.”
JUSTICE VERMA’S JUDICIAL BACKGROUND & PREVIOUS TRANSFERS
Justice Yashwant Verma was originally appointed as a judge of the Allahabad High Court before being transferred to the Delhi High Court in October 2021. His return amid corruption allegations has raised questions about the integrity of judicial transfers and how such cases are handled.
CONCERNS OVER JUDICIARY’S FUNCTIONING
The Supreme Court’s recent order dated February 3, 2025, delivered by a Division Bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan, in Kamlabai v. High Court of Judicature at Allahabad & Others, already highlighted serious systemic issues such as the “collapse of the listing system”. This has further fueled concerns over the deteriorating state of judicial administration in the Allahabad High Court.
BAR ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR EMERGENCY MEETING
In response to the crisis, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association has announced an emergency General House meeting scheduled for March 24, 2025, to discuss the situation and decide the next course of action.
“Presently, we are facing so many problems, particularly a shortage of judges, resulting in fresh cases not being heard for months, thereby diminishing the faith of the public in the rule of law. But it does not mean that we are a trash bin.”
The Association further stated:
“We believe there is a conspiracy behind all these factors to divide the Allahabad High Court in parts. Our only concern is to maintain the faith and confidence of the public in the judiciary. In this situation, we are compelled to convene an emergent General House so that a suitable decision can be taken by the members of the Bar.”
The General House meeting is set to take place on March 24, 2025 (Monday) at 01:15 P.M. in the Library Hall of the Association, with all members urged to attend as the matter concerns the “existence of the judiciary.”
BROADER IMPLICATIONS & FUTURE OUTLOOK
This controversy has sparked a national debate on judicial transparency, integrity, and accountability.
Key questions remain:
- How will the Supreme Court respond to the Bar Association’s concerns?
- What steps will be taken to restore trust in the judiciary?
- Will the Allahabad High Court take action to address systemic issues, including judge shortages and backlog of cases?
With the legal community demanding answers, the focus will now shift to the General House meeting and the Supreme Court’s next move.
