- By Nidhi Giri
- Tue, 10 Dec 2024 02:49 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Supreme Court has taken note of news reports of Allahabad HC judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav's speech at a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) function. The apex court has also sought details from the HC and the matter is under consideration. Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav had sparked outrage after delivering a speech "endorsing the Uniform Civil Code" and allegedly making controversial remarks perceived as targeting the minority community.
Lawyer and convenor of the NGO, Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms, Prashant Bhushan on Tuesday wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna seeking an “in-house enquiry” into the conduct of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav. The NGO alleges that the remarks made by Justice Yadav breached judicial ethics and violated the constitutional principles of impartiality and secularism.
The judge had said the main aim of the Uniform Civil Code is to promote social harmony, gender equality and secularism. "The main objective of the Uniform Civil Code is to promote social harmony, gender equality and secularism by eliminating unequal legal systems based on different religions and communities," he had said, according to a release issued by the VHP.
"A Uniform Civil Code refers to a common law that applies to all religious communities in personal matters such as marriage, inheritance, divorce, adoption etc," the judge had said.
In the letter, Bhushan said Justice Yadav delivered a speech endorsing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) while making controversial remarks perceived as targeting the Muslim community. The Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) said that Justice Yadav's participation in the VHP event and his comments constitute judicial impropriety and breach the solemn oath to uphold the Constitution impartially.