The impeachment proceedings against Justice Soumitra Sen will be taken up by the Lok Sabha on Monday with the Calcutta High Court judge being given two hours to air his views before the House.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat has already informed Justice Sen that the proceedings would be held on August 5 and 6 and he has to appear at 3 p.m. on the first day to present his case before the bar of the House.
Creating history, Rajya Sabha had on August 18 overwhelmingly approved the impeachment motion against Justice Sen, who could become the country’s first judge to be removed for misconduct if the Lower House passes it in the same session.
Justice Sen was held guilty of misappropriating Rs. 33.23 lakh in a 1983 case.
The sources said the President would also have to approve the impeachment motion passed by both the Houses in the ongoing session itself.
Asked whether a motion would be moved in the Lok Sabha as was done in the Upper House by CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, they said there was no such precedent.
Speaker Meira Kumar could make some opening remarks after which Justice Sen would be asked to speak, they said, adding that he has been given between 90 minutes to two hours to conclude his statement.
After his statement, the House would take up a discussion on the issue.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal replied in the negative when asked whether there was any “pressure” from UPA partner Trinamool Congress which does not favour the impeachment motion. “They have, in fact, not said anything to us“.
BSP had opposed the motion in Rajya Sabha, which saw 189 members of the 206 present in the 245-member House voting in favour, recording well over two-third majority required for the impeachment of a judge.
