New Delhi, Feb. 9 -- The three-member inquiry committee constituted by the Lok Sabha Speaker to examine allegations against Allahabad High Court judge justice Yashwant Varma over discovery of unaccounted cash at his official residence in Delhi last year has fast-tracked its proceedings, apparently in view of the impending retirement of one of its members, Madras High Court chief justice MM Shrivastava, who is set to demit office on March 6. Justice Varma first appeared before the committee, constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, on January 24, shortly after the Supreme Court dismissed his petition challenging the initiation of impeachment proceedings against him. Since then, at least two more hearings have been held last week, with the committee indicating its preference to conduct proceedings on a day-to-day basis. Two additional dates have been fixed for hearings this week. The inquiry proceedings are being held in camera, in keeping with the statutory framework governing removal proceedings against judges. There is also a strict restriction on lawyers and law officers associated with the matter from speaking to the press or discussing the proceedings outside the committee. Besides justice Shrivastava, the inquiry committee also comprises Supreme Court judge justice Aravind Kumar, and senior advocate BV Acharya. It was constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after admitting a motion seeking justice Varma's removal over allegations of unaccounted cash being found at his official residence in Delhi following a fire in March 2025, when he was serving as a judge of the Delhi High Court. In a detailed judgment delivered on January 16, the Supreme Court had cleared the way for the committee to proceed, holding that "constitutional safeguards for judges cannot come at the cost of paralysing the removal process itself". The top court rejected justice Varma's challenge to the Speaker's decision to set up the panel, ruling that he had failed to establish any present or inevitable violation of his fundamental rights. Importantly, the court underlined that the Judges (Inquiry) Act itself provides "elaborate safeguards" to the judge facing removal proceedings. These include the framing of definite charges, full opportunity to defend himself, the right to examine and cross-examine witnesses, and adjudication by senior constitutional functionaries. The bench held that the statutory scheme sufficiently protects judicial independence while ensuring that allegations of misbehaviour are examined effectively. The top court also rejected justice Varma's argument that impeachment proceedings could not continue after the Rajya Sabha declined to admit a parallel removal motion, holding that the Lok Sabha's decision to constitute an inquiry committee remained valid and autonomous. The impending retirement of justice Shrivastava has figured in recent Supreme Court proceedings as well....