‘Is Allahabad HC a dumping ground?’: Harish Salve slams collegium system, questions Justice Varma’s transfer after cash controversy

Senior advocate Harish Salve has criticised the collegium system for appointing judges, following the controversy around the alleged recovery of cash from the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma and his subsequent transfer to the Allahabad High Court. Speaking to news channels, Salve said the incident had put the judiciary itself on trial and called for more transparency in the process.

“I’ve always been a critic of the collegium. It’s a stop-gap arrangement. The system must run with transparency and collegium cannot work that way,” Salve said. He expressed doubts about the effectiveness of an internal inquiry into the matter, suggesting that it might not be enough to address the concerns raised.

Salve also questioned the decision to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court. He argued that if a judge is unfit to discharge duties, transferring them to another court is not a solution. “If he is fit, let him be in Delhi. And if he is unfit till the cloud is removed, then is he fit for Allahabad HC and not for Delhi HC? What is Allahabad HC, is it a dumping ground?” Salve remarked.
Pointing out what he saw as a double standard, Salve added, “Had the cash been found at someone else’s house, ED would have been at the doorstep. Moving a judge from one court to another is just convenient, it’s wrong.” He emphasised that if Justice Varma’s integrity is not in doubt, it should be openly clarified to the public.

Salve’s strong criticism comes amid ongoing debates about the collegium system and the transparency of the judiciary’s decision-making processes.

Inputs from TOI