Welcoming the admission of motion of impeachment against a Madhya Pradesh High Court judge in ther Rajya Sabha, JD (U) President Sharad Yadav today said that the motion was necessitated by the "failure" of the judiciary to act against him for allegedly sexually harassing a woman judge.
Addressing a press conference along with lawyers K T S Tulsi and Indira Jaising, he said he was compelled to initiate efforts to give a notice of motion for the removal of Justice S K Gangele of the MP High Court as the safety of women in work places in general and more particularly in judiciary is of utmost importance.
"I therefore moved this notice of motion for his removal and urging for an enquiry being conducted by Parliament expeditiously," he said.
Tulsi said that it was perhaps the first instance when the process to remove a judge has been initiated in a case of sexual harassment as so far the other cases related to corruption.
Tulsi, who is also a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, said that the Chairman of the Upper House in consultation with the Chief Justice of India will now set up a Committee to examine the matter.
Jaising said that she was hopeful that MPs of all parties including the ruling BJP will support the motion. She recalled that it was BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, who had first raised the issue about this woman judge in Lok Sabha.
"I will appeal to all parties and MPs to support the process and demonstrate that their commitment to the cause of women is same in speech and action," she said.
If the Rajya Sabha takes up the impeachment motion, it will be the third such case in Parliament's history and the second in the Upper House.
Ansari had admitted the motion on March 17, which was submitted to him by 58 members of the House earlier this month.
Posted in the Gwalior bench, Justice Gangele is now serving in the principal bench in Jabalpur. The issue had hogged media headlines after the woman judge resigned on July 15 last year days after she was transferred to a remote district.
After resigning she had sent representations to the President, the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court on August 1 in which she had made serious allegations against the Justice.
Chief Justice H L Dattu has set up a three-judge committee for a thorough probe into the sexual harassment complaint against the Madhya Pradesh High Court judge after receiving a preliminary inquiry report on a complaint by a woman judicial officer.
