Justice Sen's impeachment: LS Speaker holding consultations

New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian
Parliament) Speaker Meira Kumar is holding consultations with
the representatives of government and political parties to
take a decision on whether to go ahead with impeachment of
former Calcutta High Court judge Justice Soumitra Sen in Lok
Sabha.
"I have to consult because there have been new
developments. I will be talking (to political parties and
government)," Kumar told reporters outside Parliament before
the House began.
Asked whether an all-party meeting will be called to
discuss the issue, she said nothing was scheduled but she will
be talking.
Meanwhile, a senior Union Minister has indicated that the
impeachment was unlikely as the judge has already resigned.
Government had notified the resignation of Justice Sen of
the Calcutta High Court on Sunday.
In the normal course, such a notification is not required
since the resignation of a constitutional authority is deemed
to be accepted if it is in order.
Attorney General G E Vahanvati had opined on Friday
that the impeachment proceedings, having already been
completed in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament),
should be completed by the other house.
This opinion appears to have been based on the premise
that the resignation letter faxed by Sen to Rashtrapati Bhavan
on Thursday could not be taken cognisance of since such
letters must be written in the hand of the judge as per Art
217 (a) of the Constitution. PTI NAB
MNS