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Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday questioned the legal status of Justice Yashwant Varma's resignation ahead of the tabling of the inquiry committee report into the matter before the Lok Sabha under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
Tewari said that the contents of the report would be known after it is circulated among Members of Parliament. However, he raised questions over whether Parliament can initiate impeachment proceedings against a judge who has resigned but whose resignation has either not been accepted or has not been formally notified. "The main question is: Justice Yashwant Varma has resigned. His resignation has either not been accepted or, if it has been accepted, it has not been notified," Tewari said. He said that the government should clarify the status of the resignation and explain why it has not been made public. "Can Parliament impeach a judge who has resigned but whose resignation has either not been accepted or has not been notified?" he asked. Tewari also referred to the Allahabad High Court website, saying that Justice Yashwant Varma continues to be listed as a judge. The Congress MP said that the government should clarify whether the resignation has been accepted, rejected or is still pending. "It is a fundamental legal question which the government needs to answer," he said. Tewari also raised concerns over Punjab's economic and social challenges ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. He said that Punjab's debt-to-GDP ratio was among the highest in the country and put the state's projected debt at around Rs 4.47 lakh crore by March 2027. "Punjab faces five major challenges, including its public debt, agricultural distress, groundwater depletion, lack of employment opportunities and narco-terrorism", he said. He said that a large proportion of Punjab's farmers own relatively small landholdings and argued that agriculture was no longer sustainable as a standalone occupation for many of them, despite the minimum support price. Tewari also highlighted the decline in Punjab's groundwater levels, saying they had fallen by around 30 to 40 metres over three decades in some areas. He said that the groundwater levels in some districts had fallen to 600-700 feet. The Congress MP further said that Punjab's lack of industrialisation and skilling opportunities had contributed to young people seeking employment abroad. He referred to the trend of young people taking English-language tests and migrating overseas, while noting that entry barriers in several countries were increasing. He also described narco-terrorism, which he referred to as "gangsterism", as another major challenge facing the state. Tewari questioned whether these issues were receiving adequate attention in the political discourse ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. "Are elections just a gladiatorial contest to seize power? Or do political parties need to seriously deliberate upon the fundamental crisis that is pushing Punjab into an abyss?" he asked. (ANI)
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