New Delhi:
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley today tore into Justice Soumitra Sen's defence, saying that the latter had misled the House. The 53-year-old judge had claimed that he was being made a "sacrificial lamb" while facing impeachment proceedings in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.
Mr Jaitley, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, supported the motion moved by CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury for Justice Sen's removal and said that he had gone through the entire evidence in the judge's case and found it to be in tandem with the inquiry that proved misappropriation of funds by Justice Sen.
(Watch: Justice Sen misled the House, says Arun Jaitley)Expressing concern over questions being raised on conduct of some judges, Mr Jaitley suggested revisiting the process of their appointment and favoured a National Judicial Commission to ensure selection of those with strong integrity.
"The system of judges alone appointing judges must now change. India needs a National Judicial Commission to appoint judges," Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said, resuming the debate in the Rajya Sabha on impeachment motions against Calcutta High Court Judge Justice Soumitra Sen.
He said the commission's members can be drawn from the judiciary and executive, besides prominent citizens. At present judges are appointed by a collegium of judges.
Justice Sen of the Calcutta High Court had, in a 90-minute defence, yesterday asserted that he was not guilty of financial irregularities and the allegations of misconduct and misappropriation of funds against him were aimed at victimising him in a pre-determined move.
(Read: I am being made a scapegoat, says Justice Soumitra Sen)He is the first judge to face impeachment proceedings in the Upper House.
The house will vote on the motion later today.If the motion is passed by two-thirds of the members present and voting, it will go to the Lok Sabha within a week. If it is approved by both the houses of parliament in the same session, the motion would go to the president, who can order the removal of the judge from office.
A special committee constituted by Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari had found charges of financial irregularities against Justice Sen to be correct. He is accused of misappropriating nearly Rs. 24 lakh in the 1990s when he was a lawyer and was appointed receiver by the Calcutta High Court.