The Congress on Monday said it will file a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge the Rajya Sabha Chairman's order rejecting the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra.
Earlier in the day, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Upper House, rejected the impeachment notice submitted to him by Opposition members of Rajya Sabha led by the Congress. The CPI, the CPI(M), the NCP, the SP, the BSP, and the IUML were the parties that had agreed to the motion.
In his 10-page order, Mr. Naidu claimed that the Opposition MPs were "unsure" of their own case and that their notice was based on "suspicion and conjectures."
On Saturday, Opposition MPs handed over the impeachment motion to Mr. Naidu. The notice was moved "on five grounds of misbehaviour." In Monday's order, Mr. Naidu rejected every charge mentioned in the notice.
In a press conference in New Delhi on Monday, Congress leader and former Law Minister Kapil Sibal said the Chairman's order was "ill-advised and illegal." Claiming that the Chairman's discretion was limited, Mr. Sibal said "he [Mr. Naidu] shouldn't have disposed of without constituting an inquiry Committee."
"The Chairman's order says the charges are unverifiable. How can you verify without conducting an inquiry," Mr. Sibal asked.
The Congress leader also hoped that the matter wouldn't be listed under the CJI, but however, said the party will accept the top court's verdict.
