New Delhi: 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 Sen
that the proceedings would be held on August 5 and 6 and he
has to appear at 3 pm 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 Sen,
who could become the country`s first judge to be removed for
misconduct if the Lower House passes it in the same session.
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 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.
PTI
