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‘Unacceptable’: Allahabad High Court Bar Association on Justice Varma's private oath ceremony
The allegedly “clandestine” ceremony invited the ire of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association who had also protested Justice Varma's transfer.
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association (AHCBA) wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of the high court, expressing their disapproval towards the allegedly “clandestine” oath-taking ceremony of Justice Yashwant Varma on Saturday, reported news agency ANI.
Justice Yashwant Varma's repatriation to Allahabad from the Delhi high court had invited scrutiny from the AHCBA previously as well, with the bar association protesting the Supreme Court Collegium's decision to transfer the judge.
The Chief Justice of India had ordered an in-house inquiry concerning Justice Yashwant Varma, after a fire at his residence in Delhi led to the discovery of piles of unaccounted cash last month.
Justice Varma has taken his oath as an Allahabad high court judge in his chambers privately, rather than the usual public event, which involves various dignitaries and colleagues.
In their letter, the AHCBA wrote, “This is to bring to your kind notice that the entire Bar Association is at pains to learn about the clandestine manner in which Justice Yashwant Verma has been administered the oath of his office at Allahabad.”
They added, “The High Court Bar Association passed a resolution saying therein that this oath is against the Constitution of India and, therefore, the members of the Association do not want to be associated with an unconstitutional oath.”
Bar association calls oath-taking ceremony ‘unacceptable’
The lawyers argued that an oath-taking ceremony was an important event in the judicial system and is traditionally conducted in an open court.
Also Read: Supreme Court says Justice Yashwant Varma's transfer ‘independent’ of inquiry against him
Thus, without the presence of lawyers, and the majority of the judges of the Allahabad high court, they argued that the oath-taking ceremony was legally and traditionally “fallacious/unacceptable.”
"We are given to understand that the system is taking every step in a fair and transparent manner, but why this oath is not notified to the Bar is a question which again eroded the trust of people in the judicial system. We unequivocally condemn the manner in which Justice Yashwant Verma was administered oath behind our backs," the bar association said.
The AHCBA's president Anil Tiwari, in March, had referred to Justice Yashwant Varma's transfer as “the blackest day in the Indian judicial system.”
"March 28 (2025) is the blackest day in the Indian Judicial system. A man who is facing charges of corruption is going to take an oath in Allahabad High Court," he told ANI.
The Supreme Court had also instructed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad high court not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma once he takes charge as a judge in the court.
