Tue Dec 17 15:29:38 UTC 2024: ## Allahabad High Court Judge Faces Supreme Court Scrutiny Over Controversial Speech
**New Delhi:** Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav appeared before the Supreme Court collegium on Tuesday to address controversial statements he made at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) event on December 8th. The Supreme Court, acting on news reports and complaints, had sought a report from the Allahabad High Court regarding the judge’s remarks.
Justice Yadav’s speech, delivered at a VHP legal cell convention held within the Allahabad High Court premises, reportedly included comments on the Uniform Civil Code and assertions about the law operating according to the will of the majority. Videos of the speech circulated widely on social media, sparking outrage from various quarters.
Critics, including opposition leaders, advocate Prashant Bhushan (Convenor of Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms), and CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, condemned the judge’s statements as hate speech, a violation of judicial ethics, and a breach of constitutional principles of impartiality and secularism. They argued that the remarks undermined public trust in the judiciary’s independence. The Bar Association of India also passed a resolution condemning the statements and calling for a retraction and apology.
Bhushan’s letter to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna specifically urged an in-house inquiry and the removal of all judicial work from Justice Yadav. The Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice Khanna, heard Justice Yadav’s explanation of his statements. The matter remains under consideration.
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