PRAYAGRAJ – The indefinite strike by lawyers of the Allahabad High Court against the transfer of Delhi High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma, to the Allahabad High Court entered its second day on Wednesday.
The protest, led by the Allahabad High Court Bar Association (AHCBA), intensified following allegations of a cash scandal involving Justice Varma. The controversy erupted after a huge pile of unaccounted for cash was allegedly discovered at Justice Varma’s residence in Delhi during the Holi festival.
This incident has sparked outrage among the legal fraternity, with lawyers demanding the immediate revocation of his transfer. A large number of lawyers assembled near Gate No. 3 of the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday, raising slogans and expressing their strong opposition to Justice Varma’s appointment.
The striking lawyers have completely boycotted judicial proceedings, disrupting normal court operations. Speaking to IANS, the AHCBA Secretary Vikrant Pandey reiterated the association’s firm stance, stating, “We have made it abundantly clear that until our demand to remove Justice Varma is met, we will not call off the strike. Our movement against corruption will continue unabated.”
He further said that the association has urged other Bar Associations across Uttar Pradesh to join the protest and boycott judicial work.
“Several Bar Associations have already extended their support, and we expect more to follow. This is not just a local issue — it is a fight to uphold the integrity of the judiciary,” Pandey told IANS.
The AHCBA has also demanded that the Chief Justice of India (CJI) recommend initiating impeachment proceedings against Justice Varma.
The lawyers’ protest has disrupted court proceedings thereby affecting case hearings and caused inconvenience to litigants. The Supreme Court has already formed a three-member panel to probe the cash recovery at the residence of Justice Varma.
After the reports of cash recovery, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Varma’s transfer to Allahabad High Court, his parent institution. However, the Allahabad Bar Association has opposed the move and demanded action in the case. -IANS
