CJI impeachment a political move, says ex solicitor-general

“The impeachment motion is a political one. It was unfortunate that the matter (impeachment) was being politicised,” Parasaran told reporters in the company of AICC spokesperson Khusbhu Sundar at his residence. 

The impeachment motion would only damage the institution (Supreme Court) and 50 MPs of Parliament cannot hold judiciary to ransom, he remarked. Stating that there must be safeguards in the interest of the institution, he said the impeachment motion against a serving CJI, first in independent India, has caused a lot of concern. Pointing to the lack of numbers for the Congress-led Opposition in the Parliament to successfully pass the motion, Parasaran said it would be thrashed out and the objective of the motion would not be achieved. 

He advised the parties to act with great circumspection on it.  However, he quickly added that the motion was an awakening call, before seconding the opinion of Khusbhu that there should be transparency in the functioning of the SC. Referring to acquittal in some sensational cases, Parasaran said that the executive was attempting to control the judiciary and it had happened whenever there was a majority government in the country. 

Asked about the senior lawman categorically dismissing the motion as political, Khusbhu said the views were not completely different. “All we say is there should be transparency in the functioning of the SC,” she added.