Judge Cash Scam: Harish Salve Calls for Open Probe, Criticizes SC Collegium System

Swift Summary

• Senior Advocate Harish Salve gave a pointed critique of the collegium system in an interview following allegations of judicial corruption linked too Justice Yashwant Verma.
• A fire at Justice Verma’s Delhi residence revealed a stash of unaccounted cash on March 14, prompting his transfer to the Allahabad High Court by the Supreme court collegium.
• Harish Salve described transferring the judge as inadequate and called for suspension and an autonomous inquiry instead,criticizing “double standards” in handling allegations against judiciary members versus civil servants or ministers.
• Salve suggested that a panel consisting of judges and independent citizens should investigate such matters to sustain credibility; findings should lead to either exoneration or impeachment procedures.
• He opposed an in-house probe due to its potential lack of clarity and public confidence while emphasizing legislative intervention by Parliament to address systemic shortcomings.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The issues surrounding India’s judiciary highlight critical concerns about accountability and transparency within institutions tasked with upholding justice. Harish Salve’s insistence on reforms calls attention to flaws within the collegium system that could undermine public trust at large if unchecked-this is notably pressing given allegations involving financial misconduct connected to individuals in positions of authority. His proposal for independent committees represents reasoning aimed at ensuring impartiality while maintaining integrity within sensitive inquiries involving officials suspected of wrongdoing.

Furthermore, his criticism extends beyond individual cases, advocating for systemic solutions through legislative measures rather than ad hoc responses such as transfers or internal probes-a stance grounded in safeguarding institutional credibility over political expedience or corporate-like decision-making practices internally controlled inside hierarchical frameworks representing limited oversight components indirectly placed.

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