Holding

The Inquiry Committee is not a tribunal under Article 136, there is no statutory duty to provide its report to the Judge before submission to the Speaker, and judicial review of the removal process is available only after an order of removal is made by the President.

Summary

The petition, filed by Smt. Sarojini Ramaswami on behalf of her husband Justice V. Ramaswami, sought a mandamus directing the Inquiry Committee constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 to furnish a copy of its report to the Judge before it was submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, alleging a violation of natural‑justice principles and a denial of the right to seek judicial review of any adverse finding. The Court examined the constitutional scheme under Articles 124(4) and 124(5), the provisions of the Judges (Inquiry) Act and Rules, and the earlier decision in Sub‑Committee on Judicial Accountability (1991). It held that the Act contains no provision obligating the Committee to provide the report to the Judge before submission, that a finding of "not guilty" terminates the removal process and is not subject to review, and that judicial review of the statutory stage is available only after an order of removal is made by the President. Consequently, the petition for mandamus was dismissed. The Court also clarified that the Inquiry Committee is not a tribunal under Article 136 of the Constitution.

Issues considered

The extent to which the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 obliges the Inquiry Committee to furnish its report to the concerned Judge before submission to the Speaker.
Whether the Judge is entitled to judicial review of the Committee's findings before the parliamentary stage of removal proceedings.
Whether the Inquiry Committee qualifies as a tribunal under Article 136 of the Constitution.
The applicability of natural‑justice principles, particularly audi alteram partem, to the statutory removal process of a Supreme Court Judge.

Legislation cited

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973s. Section 197
Constitution of Indias. Article 121, s. Article 124(4), s. Article 124(5)
Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968s. 3(2), s. 4(1), s. 4(2), s. 4(3), s. 6(1), s. 6(2), s. 6(3)
Judges (Inquiry) Rules, 1969s. Rule 10, s. Rule 11, s. Rule 6, s. Rule 8, s. Rule 9

Subjects

judicial reviewremoval of judgesJudges (Inquiry) Actnatural justicetribunalArticle 124parliamentary procedureSupreme Court judgemandamus

Judgment

A SMT. SAROJINI RAMASW AMI
v.
UNION OF INDIA AND ANR.

AUGUST 27, 1992

B [J.S. VERMA, N.M. KASLIWAL, K. RAMASWAMY, K.
JAYACHANDRA REDDY AND S.C. AGRAWAL, JJ.]

Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968: Sections 3(2), 4(1), (2)(3) and 6(1)(2)(3).

C Judges (Inquiry) Rules, 1969: Rules 6, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Supreme Court Judge-Alleged misbehaviour, Financial improprities
and irregularities-Enquiry Committee Report of-Submission to Speake,._
Judge concemed whether entitled to copy of Report before submission to
Speake/<-fudge concemed-Whether entitled to opportunity of hearing before
D Parliament-Report of Inquiry Committee-Finding of 'Not guilty'- Effect
of-Finding of 'guilty'-Whether open to judicial review-Report of Enquiry
Committee-Whether can be equated with sanction given under Section 197
Cr.P.C.-Term of Enquiry Committee-Whether can be extended by Court.

Constitution of India, 1950:
E
Articles 121, 124(4)(5).

Supreme Court Judge-Process for removal-Order of removal passed
by President-Judicial review of-whether excluded.
F
Article 136-Tribunal-Test to determine-What is-Inquiry Committee
constituted under Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968-Whether Tribunal.

Judicial Review-Nature and scope of

G Administrative Law-Natural Justice-Violation of-Depends on facts
of each case-Violation cannot be examined in isolation.

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973: Section 197.

Report of Inquiry Committee constituted under Judges (Inquiry) Act,
H 1968-Whether can be equated with sanction given under Section 197 Cr.P.C.
108
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 109

Certain allegations of financial improprieties and irregularities were A
made against Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami in his capacity as the Chief
Justice of High Court of Punjab & Haryana prior to bis appointment as
a Judge of the Supreme Court of India by 108 members of the Ninth Lok
Sabha by notice of motion for presenting an ail.dress to the President for
his removal from office. The Speaker of the Ninth Lok Sabha admitted the
motion and constituted a Committee consisting of a sitting Jndge of this B
Court, Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay and a retired Judge of
this Court as a distinguished jurist in terms of Section 3(2) of the Judges
(Inquiry) Act, 1968. However, on dissolution of the Ninth Lok Sabha, the
Union Government abstained from acting in aid of the decision of the
Speaker since it was of the view that the notice of motion as well as the C
decision of the Speaker to admit the motion and constitnte an Inquiry
Committee under the provisions of the Act bad lapsed with the dissolntion
of the Lok Sabha.
. .
A body called the "Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability" repre- D
sented by a Senior Advocate of this Court as its Convener and the Supreme
Conrt Bar Association filed Writ Petitions in this Court under Article 32
of the Constitution, praying inter alia for a direction to the Union of India
to take immediate steps to enable the lnqniry Committee to discharge its
functions nnder the Act. By its decision, in Sub-Committee on judicial
Accountability v. Union of India & Ors., [1991] 4 S.C.C. 699, the majority E
held (i) that a motion under Section 3(2) of the Act does not lapse upon
the dissolntion of the House; (ii) that the process for removal of a Judge
of the Snpreme Court comprises of two stages. The first stage is of
investigation and proof in accordance with the Jndges (Inquiry) Act, 1968
enacted under Article 124(5) of the Constitution by the Committee con- F
stituted by the Speaker acting as a statutory authority under the Act and
the second stage commences after allegations of misbehaviour are found
proved. In the second stage when motion is moved, bar under Article 121
o" discussion in Parliament in respect of the conduct of the Jndge is lifted
and the process envisaged under Article 124(4) is attracted. The first stage
is snbject to judicial review, bnt the second stage is not subject to judicial G
review, ltthe process involved being parliamentary process.

Subsequent to the decisions of the Constitution Bench, the Commit-
tee constituted by the Speaker under the Act proceeded to inquire into the
allegations made against the Judge. On May 10, 1992, the learned Judge H
110 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.
I.
A addressed a letter to the Presiding Officer of lhe Committee requesting
him to supply a copy of its report before it wa~ forwarded to the Speaker
and also. requested him to withhold the report! by giving reasonable time
to peruse and to take appropriate action there11n. The Inqu!ry Committee
replied that since the Supreme Court was s<!ized of the matter in the
connected case (Writ Petitior 149of1992) the I.committee would abide by
B any directions that may be given by the Court.;Thereafter, the wife of the
Judge filed a Writ Peitition in this Court - whi.,h was treated in substance
as filed by the Judge himself - for a direction tn the Committee to supply
a copy of the Report of the Committee to the Judge and simultaneously to
I
withhold forwarding of the said Report to the !Speaker of the Lok Sabha
C to enable the Judge to seek redress in a court of law, if required or
necessary, against the findings of the Committte in its Report.

It was contended on behalf of the petition~r that (i) as a logical corol-
lary of the decision in Sub-Committee on Judici~l Accountability's case, the
Jndge is entitled to be supplied a copy of the Report of the Committee before
D submission of the Report to the Speaker; (ii) 001~ the Parliamentary part of
the process begins and the Speaker moves the motion in th.e House along
with the address to the President for the removal of the Judge, the Judge
would be deprived of his constitutional right ofs\,.,kingjndicial review of the
statutory part of the process even though thal is the foundation for the
E subsequent Parliamentary part, i.e., Judicial Ref iew to test the legality of the
Committee's findings is available either 'now' before the commencement of
the Parliamentary Process on submission of t~~ I
Report to the Speaker or
never; (iii) non-supply of Report to the Judg~ before submission to the
Hon'ble Speaker would not only defeat the consbtutional right orthe Judge
F butwouldalsoviolat~ princfples ofNaturalJusdce; (iv) the order of removal
made by the President under Article 124(4) being immune from Judicial
Review, the Judge must have the opportunity /of seeking Judicial Review
before commencement of the Parliamentary part of the process for which he
should be supplied a copy of the Report before !submission to the Speaker;
and (v) that the Inquiry Committee is a Tribun;ll for the purposes of Article
G 136 of the Constitution and since an appeal wo~ld lie in this Court against
the findings of the said Committee, the Report if the Committee is required
to be furnished to the Jndge concerned.

On behalf of the Inquiry Committee it 1was contended that (i) on
H completion of' enquiry culminating in the reco~ding of the findings in the
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 111

Report, the principle of comity between the constitutional authorities re- A
quire that the Courts must not interdict the process contemplated by the Act
once the findings have been recorded in the report; (ii) the Judge is entitled
to opportunity during the Parliamentary process to assail the adverse find-
ings and there are no reasons to assume that the Parliament would not give
such an opportunity or that it would not properly consider the objections to
the findings raised by the .Judge before voting on the motion; and (iii) the
B
Jndicial Review of the order of removal may not be excluded.

The Attorney General contended (i) that the Committee is in the
naturt of a subordinate authority to the Speaker. The Report is like
granting of sanction for prosecution of a public servant as contemplated C
under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal procedure, 1973. Unless the
validity of the sanction is questioned at the earliest stage the accused is
precluded to assail it at a later stage. On the same analogy the learned
Judge is entitled to challenge the adverse findings, if any, recorded in the
Report by the Committee before the same is taken for consideration by the
Parliament. This can only be done when such Report is made available to D
the learned Judge for seeking Judicial Review; (ii) the Parliamentary
process of removal is not amenable to judicial review. Therefore, before
any motion is laid on the floor of each House of Parliament, the learned
Judge is entitled to the supply of a copy of the Report and to seek judicial
review thereof; and (iii) the right of the Iearnei;I Judge to challenge the E
order of removal made by the President under Article 124(4) being doubt-
ful, it is appropriate that in order to avoid defeating his right of seeking
judicial review in case of an adverse finding, if any, the learned Judge
should be furnished a copy of the Report of the Committee at this stage
before it is submitted to the Speaker under Section 4(2) of the Act.
F
Disposing the petition, this Court,

HELD: (Per Verma J, for himself and K.J, Reddy and S.C. Agrawal,
JJ.)

1. It cannot be said that the only logical corollary of the decision in G
Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability Is that the concerned Judge has
a right to obtain a copy of the Report of the Inquiry Committee before
commencement of the parliamentary process to enable him to avail the
remedy of judicial review in case the Committee has recorded a finding of
'guilty' agianst the learned Judge. [190 B-C] H
112 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A 1.1. The absence of any obligation in the Committee to furnish a copy
of its report to the concerned Judge before submitting it to the
Speaker/Chairman under Section 4(2) of the Act is in consonance with the
law declared in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability that the process
for removal of the Judge is statutory 'ill the laying of the Report by the
B Speaker before the Parliament on its submission to him by the Committee
in accordance with sub-sections (2) and (3) of Section 4 of the Act. (148-F]

Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability v. Union of India and Ors.,
(1991] 4 S.C.C. 699, referred to.

C 1.2. If the supply of a copy of the Report to the Judge by the
Committee before its submission to the Speaker was contemplated by the
law enacted under Article 124(5) that area would not be left blank in the
provisions made in the law while providing elaborately for submission of
the report together with its manner, including the number of copies, in
D Section 4 of the Act and Rule 9 framed thereunder. The absence of such a
provision in this law is a deliberate and not an inadvertent omission to
emphasise absence of that requirement which also matches the constitu-
tional scheme. [169 D-E]

2. Every Judge of the Supreme Court and the High Courts on his
E appointment is Irremovable from office during his tenure except in the
manner provided in clauses (4) and (5) of Article 124 of the Constitution
of India. The law made by the Parliament under Article 124(5), namely,
the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 and the Judges (Inquiry) Rules, 1969
framed thereunder, is to be read along with Article 124(4) to find out the
F constitutional scheme adopted in India for the removal of a Judge of the
Supreme Court or a High Court. The law so enacted under Article 124(5)
provides that any accusation made against a sitting Judge to enable
initiation of the process of his removal from office has to be only by not
less than the minimum number of Members of Parliament specified in the
Act, all other methods being excluded. On initation of the process in the
G prescribed manner, the Speaker/Chairman is to decide whether the ac-
cusation requires investigation. If he chooses not to act on the accusation
made in the form of motion by the specified minimum number of Member
of Parliament, the matter ends there. On the other hand, if the
Speaker/Chairman, on a consideration of the materials available and after
H €onsulting such persons as he thinks fit, forms the opinion that a prima
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 113

facie case for investigation Into the accusation against the Judge Is made A
out, he constitutes a Committee of Judicial functionaries in accordance
with Section 3(2) of the Act. [188 E·H, 189-A)

•. 3. The scheme embodied in Section 6 of the Act read with Rule 9 is
that where the finding of the Inquiry Committee is of 'not guilty' whether B
unanimous or by majority of the members of the Inquiry Committee, the
entire process of removal of the Judge terminates with that finding giving
the quietus to the accusation of misbehaviour by the Judge scotching all
rumours and the motion is not even required to be taken up for consldera·
tion by the Parliament so that the parliamentary part of the process does
not commence in the absence of the condition precedent of a finding of C
'quilty' by the Inquiry Committee essential for its commencement. Jn such
a situation, when the finding of 'not guilty' is by majority of-the members
only, the contrary finding of guilty by the third member is not even to be
disclosed to any authority or person including the l;'arliament since all
debate on the conduct of the concerned Judge based on those allegations D
must end. The provision in Rule 9(6) for non-disclosure of the dissenting
opinion of 'guilty' even to the Parliament further indicates that no one
including the Members of Parliament who gave the notice of motion under
Section 3(1) of the Act to Initiate the process of removal have any right in
that situation to even scrutinise much less assail the finding of 'not guilty'
recorded by the Inquiry Committee even by majority. Section 6(1) of the E
Act read with Rule 9(6) of the Rules is a clear pointer in this direction.
[146 E·H, 148 A·Bl

3.1. The provisions in the Act and the Rules are a strong indication
that the constitutional scheme for the removal of a Judge in accordance F
with clauses (4) and (5) of Article 124 of.the Constitution and the par·
liamentary law enacted under Article 124(5) shuts out all scrutiny even by
judicial review where the Inquiry Committe< unanimously or even by
majority makes a finding that the Judge is 'not guilty' of any misbehaviour.
Obviously, the concerned Judge cannot be aggrieved by a finding of 'not
guilty' in his favour and in case such finding Is not unanimous but by G
majority, non-disclosure of the dissenting opinion of guilty, as required by
Rules 9(6) of the Rules, even to the Parliament, prevents any possible
damage to the reputation of the concerned Judge from the dissenting
opinion and, therefore, there can be no legitimate grievance to him from
the undisclosed dissenting opinion. For this reason, the concerned Judge H
114 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A can have no grievance agianst exclusion of judicial review in that situation.
This being the situation in the event of the Committee's Report containing
a finding of 'not guilty', there can be no requirement at least in that
situation for the Committee to furnish a copy of its report to the concerned
Judge before submitting the same to the Speaker/Chairman under Section
4(2) of the Act. [147 F-H, 148-D]
B
3.2. If there be several charges framed against the judge and in
respect of some of them the finding is that the Judge '.s 'guilty' while the
finding on the other charges is that the Judge is 'not guilty', then the
consequences which would ensue in respect of the finding on each charge
C would depend on its nature. In other words, in respect of a charge of which
the Judge is found 'not guilty', the consequences would be those in accord-
ance with Section 6(1) of the Act and Rule 9(6) of the Rules and the process
of removal relating to those charges would terminate in the manner
ind.icated without being subject to any further scrutiny or judicial review
D as in the case of a finding of 'not guilty' in respect of all the charges levelled
against a Judge. [149 B·D]

4. When the finding in the Committee's Report is that the Judge is
'guilty' of any misbehavionr, then Section 6(2) of the Act mandates that
the motion for removal of the Judge shall be taken np for consideration
E by the House together with the Report of the Committee submitted in
accordance with Section 4(2) and laid before it under Section 4(3) of the
Act. A full consideration on merits inclnding correctness of the finding of
'guilty' made by the Inquiry Committee on the basis of the materials before
the Parliament is contemplated during the parliamentary part of the
F process of removal of a Judge. [156 D-E, 157H, 158-A]

4.1. There is no reason why in the Constitntional scheme adopted in
India, the concerned Judge should not be given an opportunity when the
Parliament takes up for consideration the motion for his removal on a
finding of 'guilty' being made by the Committee constituted under the
G Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Such an opportunity is consistent with and is
also the requirement of fairness, an essential attribute of procedure for
any decision having civil consequences. The precise details of the manner
in which such an opportunity is to be given to the concerned Judge may
be for the Speaker/Chairman and the Parliament (o decide, but there is
H clear mandate in our constitutional scheme that the procedure adopted
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.O.L 115

for this purpose should be such as would ensure availability to each House A
of Parliament of the concerned Judge's point of view and comments, if any,
on the linding of 'guilty' made in the Committee's report when it takes up
for consideration the motion for removal of the Judge, such procedure
ensuring fairness to the concerned Judge and being in keeping with the
dignity of the high office held by the learned Judge. (162 F·G, 160 A-BJ
B
4.2. It is, therefore, implicit in the constitutional scheme for the
removal of a Judge provided in Article 124(4) and the law enacted under
Article 124(5) that the Parliament should also have the benelit of the point
of view and the comments, if any, of the concerned Judge on the linding of
'guilty' against him recorded by the Inquiry Committee in its Report when C
the Parliament takes up the motion for removal of the Judge for considera-
tion along with the Inquiry Committee's Report and the other relevant
materials made available to it. To enable performance of this exercise and
to effectuate the concerned Judge's right to show cause against the linding
of 'guilty' made in the report at this stage to the Parliament, it is clear D
obligation of the Speaker/Chairman to supply a copy of the Inquiry
Committee's Report to the concerned Judge while causing it to be laid
before the Parliament under Section 4(3) 'as soon as may be' on its
submission under Section 4(2). This view also has the advantage of provid·
ing the concerned Judge an opportunity during the parlia.mentary part of
the process or removal to place his point of view and offer the comments, E
if any, on the linding of 'guilty' against him made by the Inquiry Committee
for consideration by the Parliament before voting on tl;e motion for
removal of the Judge. (158 F·H, 159·A]

4.3. If the constitutional scheme, envisages and provides for an
opportunity to the concerned Judge to show cause against his removal
F
from office on the linding of 'guilty' recorded by the Inquiry Committee
being placed before the Parliament for its consideration and the Parlia·
ment is required to take it into account before it decides to accept the
linding of 'guilty' and act on it by adopting the motion of removal by the
requisite majority or not to adopt the motion which would terminate the G
proceedings for removal, it would indicate that the opportunity of this
kind in the scheme to show cause is against the inchoate linding of guilty
prior to the stage of making the linal decision which alone is required to
be subject to judicial review. The clear intendment is that in such a
situation it is the Parliament which should lirst consider the question H
116 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992) SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A without there being any need for judicial review at that stage. This is so
because the misbehaviour is deemed to be proved, according to Section 6(3)
of the Act, only when the Parliament adopts the motion in the manner
prescribed. (163 A-DJ

B The remedy of judicial review to the concerned Judge is available only
when his misbehaviour is 'deemed to be proved' in law and not against the
inchoate finding of'guilty' made by the Inquiry Committee which may or may
not be acted upon by the Parliament. Another reason to snpport this view is
that the proceedings for removal of a Judge are required to be concluded at
the earliest In public interest and, therefore, no interdiction of the process is
C contemplated at the stage of an inchoate finding of 'guilty' by the Inquiry
Committee. An opportunity to the concerned Judge at the stage also to show
cause against that inchoate finding of 'guilty' fully safegaards his interest
without the need for judicial review at that stage, the scope for Parliament's
scrutiny of the Committee's finding of gulity being very wide. (163 D-F)
D
4.4. The contrary view would result in a serious anomaly. If the
finding of 'guilty' made by the Committee by Itself amounts to 'proved
misbehaviour' for the purpose of Article U4(4), anomalous situation
would arise if the Parliament does not adopt the motion of removal
thereafter. In that situation the process would end and, notwithstanding a
E finding of 'proved misbehaviour', the Judge cannot be removed from office.
Such a piquant situation at the end of the process of removal In spite of
a finding of 'proved misbehaviour' could never by contemplated In the
scheme and, therefore, a construction which can lead to that absnrdity
must be eschewed. (164 D-E)
F
4.S. Even though judicial review of the finding of 'guilty' made by the
Inquiry Committee may be permissible on limited grounds pertaining only
to legality, yet the power of the Parliament would not be so limited while
considering the motion for removal inasmuch as the Parliament is em-
G powered to not adopt the motion in spite of the finding of 'guilty' made by
the Committee on a consideration of the entire material before It which
enables it to go even into the probative value of the material on which the
finding is based and to decide the desirability of adopting the motion in a
given case. The Parliament decides by voting on the motion and is not
required to give any reasons for its decision if it chooses not to adopt the
H motion. (163 G-H, 164-A)
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 117

There is no reason to assume that the .Parliament would not dis- A
charge its obligation in the constitutional scheme with as much respon-
sibility and seriousness as is expected from any other organ of the State
or authority involved in the process of remov3l of a Judge. The n;dure and
extent of power entrusted to the Parliament In this process is a relevant
factor to Indicate exclusion of judicial review till after the making of the B
1 order ofremoval by the President in case the Parliament adopts the motion
by the requisite majority. The finding of 'guilty' made by the Committee is
only a recommendation to the Parliament to commence its process and to
act on that finding which, at best, is tentative and inchoate at the stage of
submission of the Report under Section 4 of the Act. [164 A-Cl
c
4.6. This being so, the remedy of judicial review to the concerned
Judge has to be only after the stage of bis 'proved misbehaviour' is reached
on adoption of the motion by the Parliament which leads inevitably to the
order of removal made by the President in accordance with Article 124(4).
Resort to judicial review by the concerned Judge between the time of D
conclusion of the inquiry by the Committee and making of the order of
removal by the President would be premature and is unwarranted in the
constitutional scheme. This construction while protecting the interest of
the concerned Judge gives full effect and due importance to the role of all
the high dignitaries involved In the process of removal, there being no
reason to doubt that each one of them would be fully alive to the sig- .E
nilicance of bis role and. extent of obligation under the constitutional
scheme. If, however, any illegality occurs even then, the provision for
judicial review at the end of the process permits Its correction without
interdicting the process in between. [164 F-H, 165-A]
F
S. Judicial review is the exercise of the courts' inherent power to
determine legality of an action and award suitable relief and thereby
uphold the rule of law. No further statutory authority is needed for the
exercise of this power which is granted by the Constitution of India to the
superior courts. [173,F]
G
S.1. The modem trend is to accept judicial review in certain situa-
tions within circumscribed limits even where the entire process is political
since the 'political question doctrine', permits this course. Jn such cases
where the entire process is political, judicial review to the extent permis-
sible on conclusion of the political process is not doubted. There appears H
118 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A to be no reason in principle why judicial review at the end of the entire
process of removal of a Judge in India, where it is a composite process of
which the political process Is only a part, can be excluded after conclusion
of the entire process including the political process. [184 C-E)

Adam Clayton Powell v. John W. McConnack, 23 L.Ed. 2d. 491 : 395
B US 486, referred to.
\

5.2. Mere parliamentary approval of an action or even a report by
an outside authority when without such approval, the action or report is
ineffective by itself, does not have the effect of excluding judicial review on
C the permissible grounds. [173-B)

5.3. There Is no embargo, in principle or authority, to infer that in
the constitutional scheme adopted in India, judicial review of the finding
of guilty recorded by the Inquiry Committee during the statutory part of
the process is impermissible after that tentative finding matures into
D 'proved misbehaviour' culminating in the order of removal. The argument
of 'now or never' does not appeal to the Court and what appears more
consistent in the constitutional scheme is that judicial review on permis·
sible grounds is available not now but at the end of the process after the order
of removal, if that stage is reached. (170 D-E)
E 5.4. There is no reason to take the view that an order of removal of
a Judge made by the President of India under Article 124(4) of the
Constitution is immune from jvdicial review on permissible grounds to
examine the legality of the finding of guilty made by the Inquiry Committee
during the statutory proces$ for removal which is the condition precedent
F for commencement of the parliamentary process culminating in the
making of order of removal by the ~sident. Judicial Review of the finding
of guilty in the Report of the Inquiry Committee constituted under the
Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 would be permissible on the available grounds
of judicial scrutiny after the making of an order of removal by the Presi-
G dent pursuant to adoption of the motion for removal by the Parliament
based on the Inquiry Committee's Report. (173 C·G)

S.S. Availability of judicial review to the learned Judge, in case the
need arises as a result of the order of removal made by the President, after
the making of such an order cannot be doubted in view of the wide powers
H of the Supreme Court of India. [173-E]
SMT.·S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 119

5.6. This conclusion adequately protects the right of the concerned A
Judge, ensures expeditious conclusion of the process once it is commenced
in the manner prescribed and accords with the view that the scheme is 'a
judicious blend of the political and judicial processes for the removal of
Jndges, it ensures preservation of the right, interest and dignity of the
learned Judge and is commensurate with the dignity of all the institutions B
and functionaries involved in the process. It also excludes the needless
meddling in the process by busy bodies confining the participation in it to
the Members of Parliament, the Speaker/Chairman and the Inquiry Com·
mittee comprising of high judicial functionaries apart from the concerned
Judge, if the allegations permitted to be made only in the prescribed
manner justify an inquiry into the conduct of the Judge. [170.E·G] C

Keshuv Singh, [1965] 1 S.C.R. 413; Sub-Committee on Judicial Ac-
countability v. Union of India & Ors., [1991] 4 S.C.C. 699; S.P. Gupta v.
Union of India, [1981] Supp. S.C.C. 87; State of Rajasthan v. Union of India,
[1978] 1 S.C.R. 1 and Union of India & Anr. v. Raghubir Singh (dead) by D
Lrs. etc., [1989] 2 S.C.C. 754, referred to.

Regina v. Boundary Commission for England, (1983) 1 Q.B. 600, C.A.;
Nottinghamshire Country Council and Secretary of State for the Environment,
City of Bradfor Metropolitan Council and Secretary of State for the Environ-
ment, (1986) 1 A.C. 240; Regina v. Her Majesty's Treasury, Ex parte Smedley, E
(1986) 1 Q.B. 657, C.A.;Adam Clayton Powell v.John W. McCormack 23 L.
Ed. 2d. 491; SallehAbas v.Abdul Hamid, 1988 L.R.C. 25; Bakerv. Ca", 369
U.S. 186: 7 L Ed. 2d. 663 (1962) and Powell v. McCormack, 395 US 486;23
L Ed. 2d. 491 (1969), referred to.

Halsted L. Ritter v. The United States, 84 C. Cls. 293, distinguished. F
H.W.R. Wade, Administrative Law, 6th Edition; Reoul Berger, Im-
peachment : The Constitutional Problems (1973) Willis, Constitutional Law
of the United States (1936), referred to.
G
Deniel A. Rezneck, "Is Judicial Review of Impeachment Coming", 60
American Bar Association Journal 681 (1974); Miacbel J. Gerhadt, "The
Constitutional Limits to impeachment and its alternatives" 68 Texas Law
Review, 1 (1989), referred to.

6. One of the considerations which has weighed with the Court for H
120 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A holding a statutory authority to be a tribunal under Article 136 is finality
or conclusiveness and the binding nature of the determination by such
authority. [166-H, 167-A]

6.1. The determination by the Committee that the Judge is 'not gnilty'
of misbehaviour, is alone final as it terminates the proceeding. However,
B in that case there is no scope for judicial review of the finding of 'not qullty'
made by the Committee. This aspect negates the character of tribunal for
this reason alone. In the other situation when the Committee's determina·
lion is that the Judge is 'guilty' of misbehaviour, that finding Is inchoate
which may or may not be acted upon by the Parliament. Finding of 'gnllty'
C made by the Committee being subject to acceptance by the Parliament, Is
not final and is, therefore, not conclusive. If the Committee bas to be
regarded as a tribunal under Article 136, it would serve no useful purpose
and would also lead to the anamolous result that the Committee is to be
treated as a tribunal if it finds that the Judge Is not gnilty of any mis·
behaviour but it is not to be treated as a tribunal if it finds that the Judge
D is guilty ofany misbehaviour. The character of the Committee as a tribnnal
cannot depend on the findings that are ultimately recorded by it. (168 C·F]

6.2. In effect, the Report of the Inquiry Committee containing a
finding that the Judge is gnilty of misbehaviour is in the nature of recom·
E mendation for bis removal which may or may not be acted upon by the
Parliament while considering the motion for removal according to the
procedure laid down in the constitution fer removal of a superior Judge,
which is the only manner of curtailing the fixed tenure of the Judge. The
misbehaviour of the Judge is 'deemed to be proved' according to Section
6(3) of the Act only when the motion is adopted by the Parliament and not
F otherwise. The finding of 'gnilty' made by the Committee does not by itself
bring about that result. An essential test of the determinative nature of the
finding, an attribute of the tribunal is lacking. The test of the absence of
any dispute or lis between two adversaries also negatives the contention
that the Committee is a tribunal for the purpose Article 136.
G (169 A·B, 168 G·H]
6.3. Keeping in view the provisions of the Act and the Rules and
specially the fact that certain finding recorded by a member of the Com·
mittee is not required to be disclosed in the given circumstances and the
finding recorded by the Committee holding that the Judge is gnilty of any
H misbehaviour is not final and conclusive, it is legally not permissible to
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 121

hold that the Committee is a tribunal under Article 136 of the Constltu- A
tion. [169 F-G)

Jaswant Sugar Mills Ltd. v. Lakshmichand & Ors., [1963) Supp. 1
S.C.R. 242; Workmen of Meenakshi Mills Ltd. v. Meenakshi Mills Ltd. &Anr.,
JT (1992) 3 S.C. 446 and Dev Singh & Ors. v. Registrar, Punjab & Haryana
High Court & Ors., [1987) 2 s.c.R. 1005, relied on. B

The Bharat Bank Ltd. v. Employees of the Bharat Bank Ltd., [1950)
S.C.R. 459; Durga Shankar Mehta v. Thakur Raghuraj Singh & Ors., [1955)
1 S.C.R. 267 and Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. v. Jasjit Singh,
[1964) 6 S.C.R. 594, referred to. c
Per Kasliwal, !. (Concurring)

1. There is no provision in the Act or the Rules for the supply of copy
to concerned Judge by the Inquiry Committee before sending the Report
to the Speaker for laying down the Report before the Parliament. In the D
scheme of the Act and the Rules and the Constitution, no direction can be
given to the Inquiry Committee to furnish the Report to the Judge for
seeking judicial review at the stage when the investigation is already
complete. [199-D, 205-E)

2. The right of judicial review is not a right emerging under any E
principle of natural justice. It cannot be equated with the rule of audi
alteram partem. The right of judicial review is itself a right available only
on limited permissible grounds. The right of seeking a judicial review
depends on the facts of each individual case and will depend on several
factors which would be necessary to be examined before the particular F
order or action is put under challenge. There cannot be any demand of
judicial review as an abstract proposition oflaw on the premise of violation
of any principle of natural justice. No direction as such can be sought on
the basis that if the copy orthe Report Is not supplied before sending the
same to the Speaker, the learned Judge would be left with no remedy of G
judicial review at a later stage. There is neither any violation of any
principle of natural justice nor violation of any constitutional or statutory
provision in not affording a copy of the Inquiry Report before sending the
same to the Speaker. (203 B-El

2.1. This Court cannot give any mandamus to any authority unless H
122 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A it can be shown that such authority is acting in violation of any provisions
of the statute or constitutional obligation. Thus, even if it may be con-
sidered that the Committee is performing a statutory function amenable
to the jurisdiction of this Court in judicial review, it must be sho"4 that
it is acting in violation of any rule or law. In the present case the Inquiry
Committee is rather performing its legal duty and fulfilling the statutory
B obligation of sending the report to the Speaker and as such no mandamus
or direction can be given to delay or put any hindrance in such lawful
action on the part of the Committee. [203 F-G]

3. The right of the hearing to the concerned Judge in the present
C scheme of law can only arise before two authorities. One before the Inqniry
Committee and the other before the Parliament. So far as the opportunity
of hearing before the Inqruiry Committee is concerned, the provisions
clearly show that fnll opportunity of hearing is given to the Judge in
respect of contesting the charges framed against him as well as cross-
examining any witness and leading any evidence in defence.
D [201-E, 202 A-Bl
3.1. It is no doubt correct that Parliament is free to adopt its own
procednre while considering the motion, bnt that alone cannot be con·
sidered as a ground for seeking judicial review against the report of the
E Committee. The qnestion of not giving any opportunity of hearing before
any action is taken against the learned Judge by the Parliament can only
arise after any decision is taken against the Judge by the Parliament. No
argument based on the violation of principle of natural justice can be
considered on the assumption that the Parliament may adopt a procedure
which may be in violation of principles ofnatural justice. Thus, if a direction
F is being soughIfor supplying a copy of the report on the ground of assumed
violation of any principle of natural justice by the Parliament, there is no
justification and it would be pre-judging the issue and predicating a remedy
without laying any foundation or basis for such relief. [202 C-F]

4. The entire constitutional scheme in this matter shows that the
G Parliament had complete confidence in the independence and dignity of
judiciary. The Inquiry has been left to the Inquiry Committee composed
of high judicial functionaries alone. Io case of such Committee giving a
finding of not guilty, the same has been considered as final and giving a
quietus and no further discussion on the motion has been made permis-
H slble. It is only lo case of finding of gnilty recorded by the Inquiry
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 123

Committee that the motion is required to be taken up for further con· A
sideration. In this kind of case in the larger public interest including the
independence of the judiciary itself any delay after the recording of such
finding of guilty, if any by the Inquiry Committee and to permit such report
being challenged by way of judicial review at this .stage would not be
proper. The matter after recording, if any, a finding of gnilty against the B
concerned Judge by the Inquiry Committee should be left for further
consideration by the Parliament. (205 G-H, 206-A]

5. The finding of gnilty recorded by the Committee on the charges is
not conclusive and final and the Parliament can still bold that the charges
levelled against the concerned Judge did not amount to misbehaviour and C
may decide not to adopt the motion. On the other hand, if In the course of
judicial review this Court approves or affirms such findings recorded by
the Inquiry Committee being a decision of this Court shall be binding on
the Parliament. In that case, it would not be possible for the Parliament
to take a different view and this would be an extra constitutional inter· D
ference in the framework of the scheme. In another case during the course
of judicial review this Court may come to the conclusion of quashing the
entire proceedings conducted by the Inquiry Committee and require it to
hold a fresh inquiry. (204 C·D]

6. The life and existence of the Inquiry Committee is co-terminus E
with the period of 3 months as laid down in Rule 9(2) (c) of the Rules or
till the Speaker extends the time for sufficient cause under the the proviso
to the aforesaid Rule. After this period is over, the Committee ceases to
function and neither this Court nor any other Court can extend this period
in the exercise of judicial review of the findings of the Inquiry Committee. F
The period of 3 months has been fixed in the statutory rules itself and the
Speaker alone has been authorised to extend such period for sufficient
cause. This Court cannot extend such period nor give any direction to the
Speaker to do so, and any attempt of remanding the matter for fresh
inquiry or to keep the matter pending till the concerned Judge decides to G
challenge the report byway ofjudlcial review or to keep the matter pending
for decision under the exercise of judicial review beyond the aforesaid
period Is not permissible and cannot be done In an indlrect manner which
cannot be done dlrectly. This Court has no power to extend the life of the
Inquiry Committee by judicial fiat In the teeth of the express provisions of
the statutory rules. (204 E·H, 205-A] H
124 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A 7. So far as the stage after the conclusion of the proceedings in the
Parliament are concerned, the remedy of judicial review is always available
which, of course, will depend on the facts and circumstances of the case
emerging then and subject to recognised permissible grounds of judicial
review. (205 E-F)

B 8. The powers, duties and functions of the Inquiry Committee con·
stituted under the provisions of the Act and composed of high judicial
functionaries which records its finding after giving an opportunity to the
concerned Judge on the basis of the oral and documentary evidence cannot
be compared or equated with the sanction accorded by an executive
C authority under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in respect
of a public servant. (204 A-Bl

9. In Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability's case the controversy
raised in the present case was not in issue and the Court in that case was
concerned with the stage of entertaining the motiO!l by the Speaker for
D consideration of the House and the fate of such motion upon the dissolu·
lion of the Lok Sabha. (200 D·El

Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability v. Union of India & Ors.,
(1991) 4 S.C.C. 699, explained.
E
Per K Ramaswamy, J. (Dissenting)

1. The Judge is entitled to the supply of a copy.of the report and the
Committee being a high statutory one, the Court can, keeping the status
of the Committee in view, make a request to supply the copy of the Report
F to the learned Judge. Its concomitant would be that the teamed Judge
needs time to reflect upon to take a decision and action thereon. Neces·
sarily, the Committee is to be requested to withhold submission of its
report for a reasonable time. (224 D·Fl

2. The legislature itself has made a distinction between the conse·
G quences that would flow from recording a finding of guilt or exoneration
and the former is subject to political process, together with the contra
finding of third member but in the latter case it is conclusive. As held in
Sub-Committee on Judicial Accounta/Jility's case, no further steps based
thereon should be taken up for consideration. In other words, it is immune
H from attack from any quarter whatsoever, when even the Parliament itself
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 125

was prohibited to go into that question. [216 D·F] A
2.1. By operation or Section 6(1), if the report or the Committee
contains a finding that the Judge is not guilty of misbehaviour or does not
suffer from any incapacity, then no further steps should be taken in either
House of the Parliament In relation to the report and there Is legislative B
mandamus that the motion pending in either House of the Parliament
shall not be proceeded with. In other words the motion stands lapsed. The
result also is envisaged in Rule 9(4). Thus the finding of 'not guilty', In
other words, 'exoneration' from the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity by
majority of the members is treated to be conclusive and should be kept
secret and by necessary implication It excluded judicial review. The reason C
is obvious that the finding of a high judicial body, a final arbiter, must be
respected; should receive finality and should not be tinkered with. Equally
disclosure of even the minority view would .affect not only the reputation
of the Judge but the non-disclosure would also ward off collateral attack
from any quarter or liability to be questioned by any tlilrd party. Neither D
the members of the Parliament, nor anybody have locus or right to
participate and lead evidence against the Judge at the investigation done
by the Cor.imittee. As a necessary corollary no-one is entitled to impugne
the correctness of the findings of 'not guilty' recorded by the Committee,
absolving the Judge from the charge. [214 G·H, 21S·A, 216 B·D]
E
2.2. Thus, if the Committee makes, an unanimous or per majority,
finding that the learned Judge Is 'not guilty' of misbehaviour, the finding
receives quietus and is conclusive. The political process pursuant to
pending motion should not be proceeded with and should stand lapsed.
The minority finding of 'guilt' should remain secret and none be entitled F
to, either access to the report of exoneration or to assail the correctness
of the finding of not guilty recorded by the Committee. The need to supply
the report is obviated. [223-D]

On the other hand if the Committee either unanimously or per
majority makes a finding of 'guilty of the proved misbehaviour' only that G
part should be lai.d on the floor of each House of the Parliament in terms
of the Act and the Rules along with the minority views of 'not guilty' and
the political process for removal of the Judge would start. That report is
adverse to the learned Judge. Without knowing what the contents of the
report are; the reasoning in support of the findings of proved mis· H
126 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A behaviour or other Illegalities in the process of adjudication, a patty
cannot be foreclosed from legal remedy. Without supply of the material,
the foundation of legal Injury, the Judge rannot adequately and effectively
plead, prove and disabuse the incorrectness of the finding etc. May be the
learned Judge opts to avail the remedy on the Door of the House of
B Parliament. But the non-supply of the report would trench into offending
the principles of natural justice. It Is anathema to judicial process. The .
secrecy or the report of minority member's finding of 'guilt' Is to protect
the Judge but when the finding of guilt ad\ersely affects the· Judge, it
cannot be denied on the plea of secrecy. Therefore, the learned Judge is
entitled to a copy of the report. (223 E·F, 224 A-D]
c
3. Every right carries with it the corollary remedy to redress the
injury. Indisputably and as a fact in fairness, Judge is entitled to judicial
review. The arena of controversy is, whether before the Parliament bad
taken up the motion for consideration or after the President passed an
D order of removal under Article 124(4). That stage would set only if and
when the learned Judge has chosen to seek judicial review. That would
arise only when be has been supplied with a copy of the report.
(223-G, 224-A]
Tun Dato Haji Mohanad Sallah Bin Abus v. Tam Sri Dato, 1988
E L.R.C. 25; Powell v. Mccomack, [1937] 395 U.S. 486; Halsted L. Ritter v.
U.S., 84 Court of Claims 293 and Ritter v. U.S., 300 U.S. 663, referred to.

Raoul Berger, Impeachment : The Constitutional Problems, (1973);
Black on Impeachment; Lawrence Tri be, American Constitutional Law, 1988
2nd Edn.; Emanucts, Constitutional Law, 1991-92, referred to.
F
S.A. De Smith, 'Tenure of Office by Colonial Judges' 16 Modem Law
Review 502 (1974); Daniel A. Rezneck, "Is Judicial Review of Impeachment
Comings' 60 American Bar Association Jouma~ 681 (1974); Miachel J.
Gerhadt, 'The Constitutional Limits to Impeachment and its Alternatives'
G 68 Texas Law Review 1 (1989), referred to.

4. In substance the investigation and proof of misbehaviour or
incapacity of a Judge under Article 124(5) read with the Act and the Rules;
the address by each House of Parliament supported by the requisite
majority and removal of a Judge by the President is akin to a disciplinary
H measure to resuscitate and infuse needed judicial conduct and fervidity by
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. 127

assertion of the supremacy of law that the Judge too will be subject to law. A
The Judge occupies a Constitutional office. Article 124(5) devised an
amalgam of judicial and political porcess to remove an erring Judge or
Judge suffering from incapacity. The report submitted by the Committee
to the Speaker with the finding lbat the allegtid misbehaviour Is proved
and the Judge Is found guilty of the proved misbehaviour, constitutes fresh B
material. In a quasi-Judicial matter, if the delinquent Is being deprived of
knowledge of the material against him, though the same was made avail·
able to the punishing authority in the matter of reachlngs Its conclusion
it is violative of the rules of natural justice. The Legislature, however, can
exclude operation of these principles expressly or impliedly but in the
absence of any much exclusion, principles of natural justice will have to C
be followed. The finding of guilt of misbehaviour or Incapacity, with which
the Judge Is suffering from,- would visit with civil consequences of loss of
reputation In the society apart from forfeiture of office. It Is now settled
law that the principles of natural justice are an Integral part of constitu-
tional scheme of just and fair procedure envisaged under Article 14 of the D
Constitution. [221 F-G, 222 G-H, 223 A-Cl

Union of In<iia v. H.C. Goe~ [1964] 4 S.C.R. 718; Union of India &
Ors. v. Mohd. Ramzan Khan, [1991] 1 S.C.C. 588; Mazharnl Islam Hashmi
v. State of U.P. & Anr., [1979] 4 S.C.C. 537 and Mohinder Singh Gill & Anr.
v. The Chief Election Commissioner New Delhi & Ors., [1978] 2 S.C.R. 272, E
relied on.

5. All the trappings of the court need not necessarily be present In a
particular case to bring the authority as a Tribunal but the essantial
postulate must be that It must be the creature of the statute and the State F
should delegate its inherent power of judicial review to the Tribunal; all
or some of !be trappings of a court may or may not be present in a given
case. The Tribunal should adjudicate the dispute between the parties
before it, after giving reasonable opportunity to the parties, consistent with
the principles of fair play and natural justice. It is not necessary that
proprio vigore it is enforceable. The mere fact that it is subject to further G
orders does not take away the effect of the decision or findings recorded
thereunder. [220 D-E]

5.1. The Committee has been empowered to adjudicate on the proof
or disproof of the charges in accordance with the evidence legally adduced H
128 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A after hearing the Judge and the Advocate. The Committee has no other
function except to adjudicate upon the dispute of 'the proved guilt or not
guilty'. By operation of Rule 6 the Committee, may on consideration of the
evidence and applying the standard of 'proof beyond reasonable doubt',
make a finding that the misbehaviour or incapacity has been proved or
B disproved. The finding of guilt alone is subject to political process. Thus
the Inquiry Committee is a higl> judicial body or authority. [221 C-D]

lndo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. v. Jasjit Singh, Addi. Collector
of Custom & Ors., [1964] 6 S.C.R. 594; The Bharat Bank Ltd., Delhi v.
Employees of the Bharat Bank Ltd., Delhi, [1950] S.C.R. 495; Associated
C Cement Co. Ltd. v. P.N. Shanna & Anr., [1965] 2 S.C.R. 366; DUTga Shankar
Mahta v. Thakur Raghuraj Singh and Ors., [1955] 1 S.C.R. 267 and Dev
Singh & Ors. v. Registrar, Punjab & Haryana High Court & Ors., [1987] 2
S.C.R. 1005, referred to.

6. The moment the report was signed by the Committee, it did not,
D ipso facto, become the document of the Parliament but when the
Speaker/Chairman or both, as the case may be, caused the report to be
laid on the ftoor of each House of Parliament together with the evidence
and the motion in the manner prescrlb•d in Rule 16, it becomes the
document of the Parliament. Until then the Speaker/Chairman holds the
E document in his statutory capacity under the Act. [218 A-Bl

ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 514of1992.

(Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India).

Kapil Sibal and Ranjit Kumar for the Petitioner.
F
G. Ramaswami, Attorney General, D .N. Dwivedi, Addi. Solicitor
General (N.P.), F.S. Nariman, Ms. A Subhashni, P.H. Parekh, Raju
Ramachandran, Subhash Chandra Sharma, Sunil Dogra and AM. Khan-
wilkar for the Respondents.
G
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

VERMA, J. The person entitled to seek judicial review and the stage
at which it is available against the findings of the Inquiry Committee
constituted under Section 3(2) of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968
H (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act') in accordance with the law declared
SMT.S. RAMASWAM!v. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 129

in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountablity v. Union of India and Others, A
(1991] .4 SCC 699- is the question for decision in this writ petition. Accord-
ing to the petitioner, the remedy of judicial review is available to the
concerned Judge against the finding, if any, by the Inquiry Committee that
the learned Judge is 'guilty' of misbehaviour only prior to submission of the
report of the Committee to the Speaker in accordance with Section 4(2) B
of the Act or latest till it is laid before the Parliament as required by
Section 4(3) of the Act, but not thereafter. Accordingly, the petitioner
claims that a copy of the report should be furnished to the concerned Judge
before it is submitted to the Speaker, to preserve the right of the Judge to
seek judicial review of the finding of 'guilty', if any, in the report. The merit
of this submission is considered herein. C

The petitioner is the wife of Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami, a_sittting Judge
of the Supreme Court of India. Jn this writ petition under Article 32 of the
Constitution oflndia, certain constitutional issues have been raised which are
to be decided on the construction of Article 124 of the Constitution of India D
i and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 196!1 read with the Judges (Inquiry) Rules, 1969
framed thereunder, in the background oftlte law declared.iD.Sub-Committee
on Judicial Accountability v. Union of India and Others, [1991] 4 SCC 699. In
essence, this petition is a sequel to that earlier decision rendered in the con-
text of the proceedings for removal of Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami from the
office of a Judg<' of the Supreme Court oflndia. E

Certain allegations of financial improprieties and irregularities were
made against Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami in his capacity as the Chief Justice
of the High Court of Punjab & Haryana prior to his appointment in
October 1989 as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India by 108 members F
of the Ninth Lok Sabha by a·rotice of motion for presenting an address to
the President for the removal from office "of .Mr.. Justice V. Ramaswami.
On March 12, 1991, the motion was admitted by .ihe Speaker of the Ninth
Lok Sabha who also proceeded to constitute a Committee consisting of Mr.
Justice P.B. Sawant, a sitting Judge of this Court, Mr. Justice P.D. Desai, G
Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay and Mr. Justice 0. Chinappa
Reddy, a retired Judge of this Court as a distinguished jurist in terms of
Section 3(2) of the Judges (inquiry) Act, 1%8. On dissolution of the Ninth
Lok Sabha, the Union Government was of the view that the notice of
motion given by 108 members of the Ninth Lok Sabha for presenting an
address to the President for removal of the learned Judge as well as the H
130 SUPREME co!JRT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A decision of the Speaker of the Ninth Lok Sabha to admit the motion and
constitute a Committee under the provisions of the Act had lapsed with
the dissolution of the Ninth Lok Sabha. Accordingly, the Union Govern-
ment abstained from acting in aid of the decision of the Speaker to notify
that the services of the two sitting Judges on the Committee would be
B treated as 'actual service' within the meaning of para ll{b)(i) of Part D of
the Second Schedule to the Constitution to enable them to function as
members of the Committee. Important constitutional issues as to the status
of a motion for the removal of a Judge under the Act made ·pursuant to
Article 124 {5) of the Constitution and applicability of the doctrine of lapse
to such a motion upon the dissolution of the Lok Sabha together with the
C connected questions including the justiciability thereof in a court of law
arose in these rather unfortunate circumstances.

A body called the "Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability" repre-
sented by a Senior Advocate of this Court as its Convener filed Writ Petition
No. 491 of 1991 and the Supreme Court Bar Association filed Writ Petition
D No. 541of1991 in this Court under Article 32 of the Constitution. The com-
mon prayers in both the petitions were for a direction to the Union oflndia to
take immediate steps to enable the Inquiry Committee to discharge its func-
tions under the Act; and to restrain the Judge concerned Mr. Justice V.
Ramaswami from performing Judicial functions and exercising judicial
E powers during the pendency of the proceedings before the Committee. The
decision rendered therein by a Constitution Bench is Sub-Committee on Judi-
cia/ Accountability V, Union ofIndia and Ors., [1991] 4 sec 699.

The Constitution Bench by a majority of 4: 1 held that a motion under
F Section 3{2) of the Act does not lapse upon the dissolution of the House.
The majority opinion concluded as under:

"All that is necessary to do is to declare the correct
constitutional position. No specific writ or direction need
issue to any authority. Having regard to the nature of the
G subject matter and the purpose it is ultimately intended
to serve all that is necessary is to declare the legal and
constitutional position and leave the different organs of
the State to consider matters falling within the orbit of
their respective jurisdiction and powers ....." (para 123 at
H p. 762)
''
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U .0.1. [VERMA, J.] 131

The controversy before the Constitution Bench in those matters was A
so decided and Writ Petition Nos. 491 and 541 of 1991 were disposed of
by the appropriate declarations of the law as contained in the judgment.

After declaration of the legal and constitutional position in this
behalf on the points in controversy in the above decision, the Union of
B
. India took the necessary steps to act in aid of the decision of the Speaker

• of the Ninth Lok Sabha and the requisite notification was also issued in
respect of the two sitting Judges of the Committee as required by para
ll(b)(i) of Part D of the Second Schedule to the Constitution of India.

The Committee constituted by the Speaker under the Act then C
proceeded to inquire into the allegations made against the Judge con-
cerned Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami and, as intimated at the hearing of this
petition, the Committee has completed the Inquiry and also prepared its
Report for being submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as required
by Section 4(2) of the Act.
D
The learned Judge Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami sent a letter dated
May 10, 1992 to Mr. Justice P.B. Sawant, Presiding Officer of the Inquiry
Committee, requesting that a copy of the report of the Committee be
forwarded to him giving him sufficient time to seek redress in a court of
law, if required or necessary, as a result of the findings of the Committee. E
He was sent a reply by the Secretary to the Committee by letter dated May
15, 1992. These letters are collectively marked Annexure I to the petition.
They are reproduced as unner:

"JUSTICE V. RAMASWAMI
F
JUDGE, SUPREME COURT
2, Teenmurthi Marg
New Delhi- 110011
May 10, 1992

Hon'ble Mr. Justice P.B. Sawant G
Presiding Officer
Committee Appointed under the
Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968
433 Parliament House Annexe
New Delhi-110001. H
132 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Sir,

am informed that the Committee is resuming its
sittings for further examination of witnesses on May 11,
1992. My counsel Shri Ranjit Kumar, who was present in
court during the course of the hearing in Writ Petition
B
No. 149 of 1992 in the Supreme Court of India, learnt that
only 5 or 6 witnesses remain to be examined and that
thereafter the matter will be fixed for arguments. As the
Committee will be sitting from May 11, 1992 onwards,
presumably the entire process will be completed during
c the period when the Hon'ble Supreme Court is closed for
summer vacation. My advocate also learned that the
Hon'ble Speaker has extended the date for the Committee
to furnish its report under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968
till July 31, 1992. I, therefore, assume that prior to that
date the report will be furnished to the Hon'ble Speaker.
D
The Hon'ble Supreme Court in its judgement on Sub-
Committee on. Judicial Accountability v. Union of India &
Ors., (1991) 4 SCC 699 has held that the Committee under
the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 is a statutory committee
and from the time it commences its proceedings till its
E report is placed before Parliament, its proceedings are
deemed to be outside Parliament and, therefore, subject
to judicial review.

As the Committee is required to render its findings in
F respect of the various charges framed against me, I would
like to be supplied a copy of the report well in time to
entitle me to challenge the same by filing appropriate
proceedings, in the event any findings are rendered
against me. A reading of the Constitution Bench's judg-
ment would suggest that such an opportunity would be
G available to me, since the Committee functions as a
Tribunal outside Parliament. I, therefore, do not expect
the Committee. to render infructuous this valuable Con-
stitutional right, in the event its report is adverse to me,
by submitting it in haste to the Hon'ble Speaker, who
H might place it before Parliament when in session.
SMT.S.RAMASWAM!v. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 133

Recourse to such a procedure would not only be in viola- A
tion of my Constitutional right to receive the report but
would be violative of natural justice, since I would, in that
situation, be pre-empted from challenging the report in
an appropriate forum.

I am writing to you well in advance so that upon B
completion of the report, a copy is forwarded to me
forthwith and sufficient time is granted to me to seek
redress in a court of law, if required or necessary. Natural-
ly, you would, therefore, in forwarding a copy of the report
to me, withhold the forwarding of the said report to the
Hon'ble Speaker, simultaneously. I, therefore, expect that
c
you would be responJing to this request of mine very soon,
since any delay in thb regard would be extremely prejudi-
cial to my interests and would tend to defeat even the limit
right granted to me by the judgement of the Hon'ble
Supreme Court. Kindly respond to this request of mine D
within a couple of days of your receiving this letter.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,
E
Sd/-
{V. Ramaswami)'

"COMMITTEE APPOINTED UNDER
THE JUDGES {INQUIRY) ACT, 1968 F

433, Parliament House Annexe
New Delhi-110001

No. 17/17-CB-Il/91 May 15, 1992
G
From:

S.C. Gupta,
Secretary
H
134 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992) SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A To
,Hon'ble Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami,
Judge, Supreme Court of India,
2, Teen Murti Marg,
New Delhi - 110011.
B
Sir,

With reference to your letter dated 10th May, 1992
addressed to the Presiding Officer, I am to inform you
that counsel for the Committee brought your letter to the
c · attention of the Constitution Bench which is now seized
of the matter, during the hearing on· 14th May, 1992 in
Writ Petition No. 149 of 1992, stating that the Committee
will abide by any directions that may be given in this
regard by their Lordships in the said case.
D
Yours faithfully,

Sd/- S.C. Gupta
SECRETARY"

E The petitioner, Smt. Sarojini Ramaswami wife of Mr. Justice V.
Ramaswami, has filed this writ petition on July 6, 1992 after receipt of the
letter dated May 15, 1992 by Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami from the Secretary
to the Committee, impleading 'the Union of India and the Committee
appointed under the Act as the respondents. The relief sought in this writ
F petition is for a direction to the Committee to supply a copy of the Report
of the Committee to Mr. Justice V. Ramaswarni and to withhold forwarding
of the said Report to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha simultaneously to
enable Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami to seek redress in a court of law, if
required or necessary, against the findings of the Committee in its Report.
G This relief is sought on the basis of the decision of the Constitution Bench
reported in [1991] 4 SCC 699 that the entire proceedings of the Committee
are statutory in nature and, therefore, subject to judicial review.

When the matter came up for hearing before us first on July 21, 1992,
we indicated to Shri Kapil Sibal, senior counsel for the petitioner that even
H though the petitioner's right for the relief claimed in this petition is
SMT. S. RAMASWAMJ v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 135

founded on her status as wife of the learned Judge and the right flowing A
to her through her husband, yet Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami had not been
impleaded as a party and it was also not indicated that the writ petition
was for and on behalf of the learned Judge so as .to bind the learned Judge
himself to the decision. in this petition. We also pointed out that the exact
position of the learned Judge has to be made clear to us before we proceed
to consider and decide this writ petition on merits. Shri Kapil Sibal
B:
indicated that the learned Judge Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami would be
bound by the decision herein and he also undertook to file a writing to that
effect. We accordingly adjourned the matter to the next day, July 22, 1992
for this purpose. The proceedings of July 21, 1992 are as under :
c
"Shri Kapil Sibal, learned senior counsel appears for
the petitioner. In response to our query whether Mr.
Justice V. Ramaswami would. be bound by the adjudica-
tion made in this petition wherein his wife is the petitioner,
Shri Sibal submitted that he will obtain written instructions
to this effect from the learned Judge, Mr. Justice V. D
Ramaswami and file the same in the Court by tomorrow
morning.

The matter will be taken up tomorrow, the 22nd July,
1992."
E
On July 22, 1992, Shri Ranjit Kumar, the counsel instructing Shri
Kapil Sibal, senior counsel for the petitioner filed in the Court a letter
addressed by him to Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami with the endorsement of
the learned Judge at the foot thereof. The same is reproduced as under:-
F
"RANJIT KUMAR
Advocate

xxx xxx

July 21, 1992. G

SUB: WRIT PETITION (C) NO. 514 OF 1992
MRS. SAROJINJ RAMASWAMI v. UNION
OF INDIA & ORS.
H
136 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Dear Sir,

When Writ Petition (Civil) No. 514/1992 was taken up
today, the Hon'ble Judges comprising the Bench wanted
to be informed of your stand in respect of the binding
nature of the adjudication in the event the petition was
B taken up for hearing and judgment rendered thereon.

Shri Kapil Sibal, Senior Advocate, appearing on behalf
of the petitioner in this Writ Petition informed the learned
Judges that as the right of Mrs. Rarnaswarni to move this
Hon'ble Court directly flowed from your right to continue
c
to hold office as a Judge of this Hon'ble Court, you would
naturally be bound by the adjudication rendered in respect
of the reliefs sought in Writ Petition No. 514 of 1992.
Please confirm if Mr. Sibal has rightly conveyed to the
Hon'ble Judges your position in this regard.
D
Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Sd/·
E (Ranjit Kumar)

Hon'ble Mr. Justice V. Rarnaswarni
2, Teen Murti Marg,
New Delhi.

F The statement made by Mr. Sibal correctly reflects my
position.

Sd/- V. Rarnaswarni
21.7.1992"
G On production of the above letter of Shri Ranjit Kumar, bearing
thereon the endorsement of acceptance by Mr. Justice V. Ramaswarni in
his own hand, we made an order to this effect which is contained in the
proceedings dated July 22, 1992 as under:

H
11
Mr. Ranjit Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 137

has filed a letter dated July 21, 1992 addressed by him to A
Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami bearing' the endorsement of
Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami at the foot of it accepting as
correct the position mentioned in that letter. Mr. Kapil
Sibal, learned senior counsel for the petitioner adds that
in view of this stand taken by Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami
the position is that this writ petition is in substance by the B
learned Judge himself filed through his wife who is shown
as the petitioner."

(emphasis supplied)

The result, therefore, is that this writ petition is in substance by the
c
learned Judge Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami himself filed through his wife,
the petitioner Smt. Sarojini Ramaswami for the relief claimed herein on
behalf of her husband Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami. This writ petition is
treated accordingly for the purpose of deciding the paints raised herein.
D
In addition to issuing notice to the respondents, namely, .the Union
of India and the Inquiry Committee appointed under Section 3(2) of the
Act, we also requested the learned Attorney General to appear and assist
the Court in his capacity as the Attorney General of India. We have heard
Shri Kapil Sibal for the petitioner, Shri F.S. Nariman for the Inquiry E
Committee and the Attorney General Shri G. Ramaswamy.

Before proceeding to consider the arguments advanced by these
learned counsel, we consider it appropriate to make a brief reference to
Writ Petition (Civil) No. 149 of 1992 Shri Krishna Swami v. Union of India
& Ors., which had been filed earlier and of which reference is made in this F
writ petition as well as in the correspondence between Mr. Justice V.
Ramaswami and the 2ommittee.

Writ Petition No. 149 of 1992 was filed in the Cpurt by M. Krishna
Swami, a member of the Tenth Lok Sabha for several reliefs specified therein. G
Those reliefs relate to the aforesaid Inquiry by the Committee appointed
under the Act to investigate into the allegations made against Mr. Justice V.
Ramaswami. The petitioner therein M. Krishna Swami claiming to be a per-
son interested as a member of the Tenth Lok Sabha as well as an advocate of
Madras Known to Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami for long alleged certain il-
legalities in the procedure adopted by the Committee prejudicial to the H
138 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A learned Judge Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami and on the basis, apart from seeking
reconsideration of the decision in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability,
also sought quashing of the charges framed by the Committee and a declara-
tion that the proceedings of the Committee are null and void. That writ peti-
tion was listed initially before a Division Bench comprising of three learned
Judges which referred the writ petition for hearing by a larger Bench. This is
B how Writ Petition No. 149of1992 came up for hearing before this Bench. On
6.5.1992, during consideration of the question of maintainability of that writ
petition in the.absence of Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami as a party, Shri Kapil
Sibal, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner in that writ petition also took
time to make an application for impleading Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami as a
C party in that petition. However, on 75.1992, Shri Kapil Sibal stated that the
petitioner therein did not want to implead Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami as a
party and he had decided to pursue that writ petition as framed. Accordingly,
that writ petition was heard on the question of its maintainability for grant of
the reliefs claimed therein without implea.ding the learned Judge Mr. Justice
D V. Ramaswami, who would undoubtedly be directly affected by the decision
on merits of the questions raised therein. We are disposing of Writ Petition
No. 149 of 1992 also separately on the definite stand taken by the petitioner
therein of pursuing that petition declhing to implead Mr. Justice V. Ramas-
warni in spite of opportunity given for the purpose. The present Writ Petition
No. 514 of 1992 by Smt. Sarojini Ramaswami came to be filed thereafter in
E these circumstances on conclusion of the Inquiry by the Committee con·
stituted under the Act.

The main point for decision in this writ petition - Writ Petition No.
154 of 1992 - is : Whether as a result of the decision in Sub-Committee on
F Judicial Accountability, Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami is entitled to be supplied
a copy of the report of the Committee containing its findings before
submission of that report to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha in accordance
with Section 4(2) of the Act of enable him to challenge the adverse
findings, if any, against him at this stage in a court of law? The submission
of Shri Kapil Sibal, learned Senior counself for the petitioner is that this
G right of Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami is a logical corollary of the decision is
Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability wherein it has been held that the
process upto submission of the report to the Speaker and it being laid
before the House for its consideration is statutory subject to judicial review.
The further submission of learned counsel is that the contrary view would
H result in depriving the learned Judge of his right to challenge the adverse
.SMT. S. RAMASW AMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 139

finding of 'guilty', if any, once the parliamentary part of the process A
commences. He submitted that the order of removal thereafter would be
immune from challenge being the culmination of the parliamentary process
and, therefore, the learned Judge would be c;lenied his constitutional right
of seeking judicial review of the .statutory part' of the process even though
that is the foundation for the subsequent parliamentary part. Shri Sibal B
urged that the order of removal made by the President as a result of this
process being in effect the culmination of the parliamentary process would
be immune from judicial review and; therefore, unless the learned Judge
has the opportunity of seeking judicial review before commencement of the
parliamentary part of the process, his constitutional right, notwithstanding
any illegality in the procedure culminating in the adverse findings of the C
Committee, would be defeated in spite of the declaration of law made in
the earlier decision. Finally, Shri Sibal modified this part of the argument
slightly to contend that even assuming the order of removal made by the
.President under Article 124(4) be not immune from judicial review on
permissible grounds of illegality, which according to learned counsel is D
extremely doubtful, great prejudice would be caused to the learned Judge
by postponement of the stage of judicial review till after the making of the
order of removal under Article 124(4) if the illegality attaches to the finding
of 'guilty' in the report of the Committee. In short, according to Shri Kapil
Sibal, judicial review to test the legality of the Committee's findings is
available either 'now' before commencement of the parliamentary process E
on submission of the report to the Speaker under Section 4(2) of the Act
'or never'. This, according to Shri Sibal, is the reason for directing the
Committee, a statutory authority, to furnish a copy of its report to the
learned Judge before submitting the report to the Speaker in accordance
with Section 4(2) of the Act. The question, therefore, is : Whether the basic F
premise on which the argument is based, namely, judicial review 'now or
never' is correct or the law is that - judicial review on permissible grounds
is not now but only later in case an order of removal is made by the
.President under Article 124(4) of the Constitution? ls it that the challenge
permissible in the constitutional scheme is actually to the order of removal
made by the President under Article 124(4) based on the composite G
process of removal comprising of the initial statutory part which provides
the condition precedeP.t for, and the parliamentary part of the process
thereafter?

Shri F.S. Nariman, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the H
140 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Committee did not dispute the right of the learned Judge of seek judicial
review of the statutory part of the process as declared in the earlier
decision on permissible grounds of judicial review, but be urged that on
completion of the Inquiry culminating in recording of the findings in the
report. The principle of comity between the constitutional authorities
B requires that the courts must not interdict the process contemplated by the
Act once the findings have been recorded in the report; and judicial review
to the extent permissible must be only in the event an order of removal is
made by the President under Article 124(4) of the Constitution if the
Parliament chooses to act on the adverse finding of 'guilty', if any, in the
Committee's report by adopting the motion of removal as prescribed. Shri
C Nariman submitted that the learned Judge is entitled to an opportunity
during the parliamentary process to assail the adverse findings and thereby
facilitate the Parliament to consider the matter properly while discussing
the motion on receipt of the Committee's report, as was the procedure
adopted during the impeachment of Justice Angelo Vasta in Australia
D where the procedure is entirely parliamentary. Shri Nariman added that
there is no reason to assume that the Parliament would not give such an
opportunity to the learned Judge or that it would not properly consider the
objections to the findings raised by the learned Judge before voting on the
motion; and in case those objections are accepted and the motion fails, the
proceedings would end in favour of the learned Judge without any need
E for him to seek redress by judicial review. Shri Nariman further submitted
that even though he could not make a definite submission that the ultimate
order of removal, if any, would be subject to judicial review, yet he was
unable to find any clear limitation, in principle or authority, on the power
of judicial review against an order of removal by the President under
F Article 124(4) of the Constitution on the permissible grounds of illegality
on which alone the learned Judge can assail the adverse findings of the
Committee at this stage, assuming he has a right to do so, before commen-
cement of the parliamentary process.

The learned Attorney General, to begin with, adopted fully the argu-
G ments of Shri Kapil Sibal and supported the petitioner's case. However, the
final stand of the learned Attorney General was modified wherein he sub-
mitted that the right of the. learned Judge to challenge the order of removal
made by the President under Article 124(4) being doubtful, it is appropriate
that in order to avoid defeating his right of seeking judicial review in case of an
H adverse finding, if any, the learned Judge should be furnished a copy of the
SMT.S. RAMASWAM!v. U.0.1.[VERMA,J.] 141

report of the <:ommittee at this stage before it is submitted to the Speaker A
under Sectioi14(2) of the Act. The learned Attorney General entirely agreed
with Shri F.S. Nariman that in the event of an·adverse finding by the Commit-
tee, the learned Judge would be entitled to an opportunity during the par-
liamentary process to assail the finding against him and thereby facilitate the
Parliament to consider the motion properly.
B
From the rival submissions, as summarised above, it is clear that in
case the learned Judge would have the right to seek judicial review in the
event an order of removal is made against him under Article 124(4) of the
Constitution, and the permissible grounds of judicial review whatever they
be at this stage, would remain unimpaired then, the main reason for C
requiring a copy of the Report of the Committee to be furnished now
before commencement of the parliamentary process would disappear. In
such a situation, the only other question would be : Whether there is any
added prejudice by deferment of the exercise of that right till after the
making of the order of removal, if any? This further question would arise
only if the constitutional scheme envisages the remedy of judicial review to D
the learned Judge now as well as at the end. If it is held that the constitu-
tional scheme envisages and permits a challenge by the concerned Judge
to the adverse finding of 'guilty' recorded in the report of the Committee
only if, and when, the order of removal is made by the President under
Article 124(4) of the Constitution and not earlier, it being contemplated E
that during the parljamentary process the concerned Judge would be given
an opportunity for the purpose to enable the Parliament to take into
account the objections, if any, of the concerned Judge to the adverse
findings against him before voting on the motion for removal of the Judge,
then any interdiction by the Court at an intermediate stage would be
excluded in a matter of this kind where expedition and early conclusion of F
the process is of utmost public importance. The scheme then would be that
in case of an adverse finding of 'guilty' by the Committee, the Parliament
gives an opportunity to the concerned Judge to show cause against his
removal on the basis of the adverse findings and takes that into considera-
tion for voting on the motion so that if it accepts the objections of the G
concerned Judge, the motion would not be passed and the matter would
rest there. The learned Judge would not then be required to seek redress
in the court of law to challenge the statutory part of the process preceding
the parliamentary process.
H
142 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A If, however, the motion is passed, notwithstanding the ohjections to
the findings raised by the concerned Judge, leading to the order of removal
being mad~ by the President under Article 124(4) of the Constitution, then
alone there is occasion for the concerned Judge to assail the adverse
finding of 'guilty' and the statutory process preceding it on the permissible
B grounds of judicial review by challenging the order of removal in a court
of law on that basis. Keeping in view the desirability of early conclusion of
the proceedings of this nature in public interest, such a constitutional
scheme would not be unreasonable reconciling the larger public interest
with the individual interest of the concerned Judge himself. The first point
for consideration, therefore, is : The existence of the right of judicial review
C in the concerned Judge of the order of removal made by the President
under Article 124(4) of the Constitution, if.and when it is made.

Another submission of Shri Kapil Sibal, in effect, to buttress his main
submission indicated above, is that the Committee constituted under Sec-
D tion 3(2) of the Act, is a Tribunal and, therefore, its findings are subject
to appeal in this Court under Article 136 of the Constitution. This argu-
ment also is to claim that the learned Judge is entitled to a copy of the
report before its submission under Section 4(2) of the Act to the Speaker
to exercise the right of appeal against the adverse finding of 'guilty', if any,
in the report.
E
The constitutional scheme for the removal of a judge of the Supreme
Court or a High Court in accordance with Article 124(4) of the Constitu-
tion and the Judges (Inquiry) Acr, 1%8 made under Article 124(5) of the
Constitution read with the Judges (Inquiry) Rules, 1969 framed under the
p Act was considered and.indieated in the. earlier decision in Sub-Committee
on Judicial Accountability. It is, however, useful to recapitulate the scheme
in the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1%8 and the Judges (Inquiry) Rules, 1969
made thereunder in the context of the question which now arises for
decision on the basis of the declaration of law made in Sub-Committee on
Judicial Accountability. We proceed to do so before we advert to the
G specific declaration of law made in the earlier decision.

Article 124(5) mandates enactment of a parliamentary law to regu-
late the investigation and proof of misbehaviour or incapacity of a Judge
under clause (4) and pursuant to it the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 has been
H enacted by the Parliament. As held in Sub-Committee on Judi<ial Account-
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 143

ability, on a construction of Article 124, 'the policy appears to be that the A
entire stage up to proof of misbehaviour or incapacity, beginning with the
initiation of investigation on the. allegation being made, is governed by the
law enacted under Article 124(5) and in view of the restriction provided in
Article 121, that machinery has to be outside the Parliament and not within
it' and 'the Parliament comes in the picture only when a finding is reached B
by that machinery that the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity has been
proved'. The Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 er.acted under Article 124(5) of
the Constitution being made for this purpose, the provision thereof have
to be cons'.rued in that light.

The Judges (Inquriy) Act, 1968 provides that the procedure for C
removal of a Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court can be initiated
only if a notice of a motion for presenting an address to the President
praying for his removal, signed by not less than 100 members of the House
of the People or 50 members of the Council of States is given to the
Speaker/Chairman in accordance with sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the D
Act. Any other method for initiating the prescribed procedure for removal
of a Judge is obviously excluded. The Speaker/Chairman is empowered to
either admit or refuse to admit the motion 'after consulting such persons,
if any, as he thinks fit and after considering such materials, if any, as may
be available to him'. The indication is that the Speaker/Chairman is em-
powered to consult such persons as he thinks fit and is required to take E
into consideration the materials available to him for deciding whether to
admit the motion or refuse to admit the same. It is reasonable to assume
•ihat one such person to be consulted would be the Chief Justice of India,
who apart from being the Head of the Indian Judiciary would also be the
authority involved in the choice and availability of a sitting Judge of the F
Supreme Court and a sitting Chief Justice of a High Court as membe!S of
the Committee constituted under Section 3(2) of the Act, if the motion is
admitted by the Speaker/Chairman. Sub-section (2) of Section 3 then
provides that the Speaker/Chairman, in case he admits the motion, 'shall
keep the motion pending and constitute, as soon as may be, for the purpose G
of making an investigation into the grounds on which the removal of a
Judge is prayed for', a Committee of three members of whom one shall be
from among the Chief Jnstice and other Judges of the Supreme Court, one
from among the Chief Justices of the High Conrts and a distinguished
' jurist. This means that an inquiry into the grounds on which the removal
I
'
of a Judge is prayed for in the notice of motion given by the specified H
144 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A minimum number of member's of Parliament or in other words the inquiry
into the allegations of misbehaviour or incapacity of the Judge requiring
his removal would be made by the Committee so constituted comprising
of two sitting Judges and a distinguished jurist. Sub-section (1) of Section
4 empowers the Committee to regulate its own procedure subject to any
B rules made in this behalf and the giving of a reasonable opportunity to the
Judge concerned of defending himself in that inquiry. Sub-section (2) of
Section 4 requires the Commmirtee, 'at the conclusion of the investigation',
to submit its report to the Speaker/Chairman 'stating therein its findings
on each of the charges separately with such observations on the whole case
as it thinks fit'. The Speaker/Chairman, as required by sub-section (3),
C 'shall cause the report submitted under sub-section (2) to be laid, as soon
as may be, respectively before the House of the People and the Council of
States'. Thus sub-sections (2) and (3) of Section 4 require the Committee
to submit its report to the Speaker/Chairman 'at the conclusion of the
investigation' and the Speaker/Chairman 'shall cause the report ....... to be
D laid, as soon as may be, before the House of the People and the Council
of States'. In the present context, it is the requirement at this stage, 'at the
conclusion of the investigation', when the report of the Committee has been
prepared, which raises the question : Whether, as a consequence of the
earlier decision in Sub- Committee on Judicial Accountablity, the Commit-
tee is required to furnish a copy of its report to the concerned Judge before
E submitting it to the Speaker as enjoined by Section 4(2) of the Act?

Section 6 of the Act provides for the stage subsequent to submission
of the report by the Committee to the Speaker/Chairman. Sub-section (1)
of Section 6 lays down that if the Committee absolves the concerned Judge
F in its report and records a finding that the Judge is 'not guilty of any
misbehaviour ... ', then no further steps shall be taken in either House of
Parliament and 'the motion pending in the House ...... shall not be
proceeded with'. It is clear from sub-section (1) of Section 6 that a finding
of 'not guilty' recorded by the Committee in its report terminates the
process of removal of the concerned Judge initiated in accordance with
G Section 3(1) of the Act, that part of the process being statutory, and the
parliamentary part of the process initiated on the Committee's report being
laid before the House by the Speaker/Chairman in accordance with Section
4(3) does not commence. This is clear from the expressions 'then no further
steps shall be taken in either House ....... and the motion pending in the
H House ...... shall not be proceeded with' in Section 6(1) of the Act. In
SMT.S.RAMASWAM!v. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 145

Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability, it was held as under : A
" ........ If, however, the finding reached by the
machinery provided in the enacted law is that the allega- ·
tion is not proved, the matter ends and there is no oc-
casion to move the motion in accordance with Article .
124(4)." B

(para 74 at p. 744)

Sub-sections (2) and (3) of Section 6 provide for the situation where
the ~eport of the Committee contains a finding that the Judge is 'guilty' of
any misbehaviour or suffers from any incapacity. Sub-section (2) prescribes C
that the motion admitted by the Speaker/Chairman under Section 3(1) of
the Act shall then be taken up for consideration by the House together
with the report of the Committee. It is in this situation and in this manner
that the parliamentary part of the process of removal of a Judge commen-
ces requiring the House to consider the motion for removal of the Judge. D
Sub-section (3) lays down that if the motion is adopted by each House of
Parliament in accordance with provision of clause (4) of Article 124, then
the misbehaviour or incapacity of the Judge shall be deemed to have been
proved and the address praying for the removal of the Judge shall he
presented to the President in the prescribed manner. Thus, commencement E
of the parliamentary part of the process for removal is after the end of the
earlier statutory part, only in case the report of the Committee contains a
finding that the Judge is 'guilty' of any misbehaviour or suffers irom any
incapacity and not otherwise. The entire process of removal is composite
in nature.
F
A brief reference to the relevant provisions of the Judges (Inquiry)
Rules, 1%9 framed under the above Act which are material in the present
context may now be made. Rule 9 relates to the report of the Inquiry
Committee. Sub-rule (1) says that where the members of the Inquiry
Committee are not unanimous, the report submitted under Section 4 of the G
Act shall be in accordance with the findings of the majority of the members.
Sub- rule (2) requires the Presiding Officer of the Inquiry Committee to
forward within the specified period its report in duplicate, duty authenti-
cated to the speaker/Chairman by whom the Committee was constituted.
Sub-rule (3) requires an authenticated copy of the report of the Inquiry
Committee to be laid before each House of Parliament. Sub-rule (4) H
146 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A prescribes that where the finding of 'guilty' is by majority, the contrary
finding of the third member shall also be forwarded along with the report
submitted under Section 4 of the Act. Sub-rule (5) requires an authenti-
cated copy of the contrary finding of 'not guilty' made by the third member
in such a case also to be laid before each House of Parliament. Thus,
sub-rules (4) and (5) require that where the finding of 'guilty' is not
B unanimous but only by majority, then the contrary opinion of the third
member in favour of the concerned J~dge shall also be laid before each
House of Par-liament to be available to the Parliament for cilnsideration
along with the report containing the finding of 'guilty' by the majority while
considering the motion for removal of the Judge. Sub-rule (6) makes
C provision for the converse situation where the finding by the majority of
the members of the Inquiry Committee is that the Judge is 'not guilty', but
the third member makes a finding to the contrary. It provides that in such
a situation where the majority of the members of the Inquiry Committee
find that the·Judge is 'not guilty', thm 'the Inquiry Committee shall not
D disclose the finding made by such third member to Parliament or to any
other authority, body or person'. (emphasis supplied)

It is clear that if the finding of 'not guilty' is even by majority and not
unanimous, the contrary finding of 'guilty' by the third member is not even
to be disclosed to 'Parliament or to any other authority, body or person'
E much less acted upon for any purpose by anyone. The scheme embodied
in Section 6 of the Act read with Rules 9 is that where the finding of the
Inquiry Committee is of 'not guilty' whether unanimous or by majority of
the members of the Inquiry Committee, the entire process of removal of
the Judge terminates with that finding giving the quietus to the accusation
of misbehaviour by the Judge scotching all rumours and the motion is not
F even required to be taken up for consideration by the Parliament so that
the parliamentary part of the process does not commence in the absence
of the condition precedent of a finding of 'guilty' by the Inquiry Committee
essential for its commencement. In such a situation when the finding of 'not
guilty' is by majority of the members only, the contrary finding of guilty by
G the third member is not even to be disclosed to any authority or person
including the Parliament since all debate on the conduct of the concerned
Judge based on those allegations must end. The scheme is that the matter
must end there finally with no one, not even the Parliament, having foe
right or authority to consider, debate or examine the finding of 'not guilty'.
H
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 147

It is, therefore, obvious that the Inquiry Committee constituted under A
Section 3(2) of the Act becomes the sole and final arbiter on the question
of removal of the concerned Judge where the finding reached by the
Committee, whether unanimous or by majqrity, is that the Judge is 'not
guilty'. Rule 9(6) read with Section 6(1) indicates the extent and wide
sweep of a finding of 'not guilty' by the Committee by providing that the B
contrary finding of 'guilty' by the dissenting third member in case of a
finding of 'not guilty' by majority shall not even be disclosed to anyone
including the Parliament. The idea is that if the Committee even by
majority records a finding of 'not guilty', notwithstanding the contrary
opinion of the third member, the matter must terminate there with no one,
not even the Parliament, being entitled to even scrutinise much less ques- C
tion the correctness or legality of the finding of 'not guilty'. The intention
manifest from these provisions is that in case the Inquiry Committee makes
a finding that the Judge is 'not guilty' of any misbehaviour, any further
scrutiny of that finding is excluded in the constitutional scheme, and no
useful purpose being served by disclosure of the contrary finding of guilty D
reached by the third member even to the Parliament, its disclosure is
forbidden with the majority opinion of 'not guilty' giving the quietus to the
allegation of misbehaviour made against the concerned Judge. The dis-
closure of the dissenting opinion of guilty by the third member would
needlessly harm the reputation of the concerned Judge, notwithstanding
termination of the process of removal with the majority finding him 'not E
guilty'.

These provisions in the Act and the Rules are a strong indication
that the constitutional scheme for the removal of a Judge in accordance
with clauses (4) and (5) of Article 124 of the Constitution and the par- F
liamentary law enacted under Article 124(5) shuts out all scrutiny even by
judicial review where the Inquiry Committee unanimously or even by
majority makes a finding that the Judge is 'not guilty' of any misbehaviour.
Obviously, the concerned Judge cannot be aggrieved by a finding of 'not
guilty' in his favour and in case such finding is not Unanimous but by
majority, non-disclosure of the dissenting opinion of guilty, as required by G
Rules 9(6) of the Rules, even to the Parliament, prevents any possible
damage to the reputation of the concerned Judge from the dissenting
opinion and, therefore, there can be no legitimate grievance to him from
the undisclosed dissenting opinion. For this reason, the concerned Judge
can have no grievance against exclusion of judicial review in that situation. H
148 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992) SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A The constitutional scheme indicates that it is only the Members of
Parliament acting jointly in the specified minimum number who can bring
abont initiation of the procedure for removal of a Judge, all other modes
and persons being excluded. The provision in Rule 9(6) for non-disclosure
of the dissenting opinion of 'guilty' even to the Parliament further indicates
B that no one including the Members of Parliament who gave the notice of
motion under Section 3( 1) of the Act to initiate the process of removal
have any right in that situation to even scrutinise much less assail the
finding of 'not guilty' recorded by the Inquiry Committee even by majority.
Section 6(1) of the Act read with Rule 9(6) of the Rules is a clear pointer
in this direction. Thus, there is total exclusion of judicial review at the
C instance of anyone, including the concerned Judge and Members of Par-
liament who gave the notice of motion, as well as any debate even in
Parliament, in case the finding by the Inquiry Committee, whether unani-
mous or by majority, is that the Judge is 'not guilty' of any misbehaviour.
This being the situation in the event of the Committee's report containing
D a finding of 'not guilty', there can be no requirement atieast in that situation
for the Committee to furnish a copy of its report to the concerned Judge
before submitting the same to the Speaker/Chairman under section 4(2) of
the Act. There being no grievance to the concerned Judge, the question of
his right to seek judicial review does not arise. The question, however, is
of this obligation in the converse situation where the Committee makes the
E finding of 'guilty' against the concerned Judge.

The absence of any obligation in the Committee to furnish a copy of
its report to the conerned Judge before submitting it to the Speaker/Chair-
man under Section 4(2) of the Act is in consonance with the law declared
F in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability that the process for removal
of the Judge is statutory till the laying of the report by the Speaker before
the Parliament on its submission to him by the Committee in accordance
with sub-sections (2) and (3) of Section 4 of the Act. There being no scope
for judicial review in the case of finding of 'not guilty' in the report for the
reasons already given, the finding of 'not guilty' being immune from any
G scrutiny in the constitutional scheme adopted, there need not be any
obligation to furnish a copy of the report to the concerned Judge. The
Judge not being aggrieved and all other being excluded when the finding
is 'not guilty', any interdiction by the court is automatically ruled out,
notwithstanding the process till then being statutory. The incidents of
H statutory process are to be considered in this perspective.
Slv!T. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 149

In this background, the read question for decision now is : Whether A
the right of the concerned Judge to assail the finding of 'guilty' against him
reached by the Inquiry Committee, a statutory authority, can be exercised
only if the report is furnished to the concerned Judge before the commen-
cement of the parliamentary process which obliges the Inquiry Committee
to furnish a copy of the report to him atleast in the situation where the B
finding reached is that the Judge is 'guilty' of any misbehaviour? Before
proceeding to consider this question, it may be added that if there be
several charges framed against the Judge and in respect of some of them
the finding is that the Judge is 'guilty' while the finding on the other charges
is that the Judge is 'not guilty', then the consequences which would ensue
in. respect of the finding on .each charge would depend on its nature. In C
other words, in respect of a charge of which the Judge is found 'not guilty',
the consequences would be those indicated above in accordance with
Section 6(1) of the Act and Rule 9(6) of the Rules and the process of
removal relating to those charges would terminate in the manner indicated
without being subject to any further scrutiny or judicial review as in the D
case of a finding of 'not guilty' in respect of all the charges levelled against
a Judge.

At this stage, certain extracts from the earlier decision in Sub-Com-
mittee on Judicial Accountability v. Union of India and Others, (1991] 4 SCC
699 may be quoted for convenience. The point raised in this petition was E
debated mainly with reference to these portions of the earlier decision.
These .extracts are as under:-

"But the constitutional scheme in India seeks to
achieve a judicious blend of the political and judicial F
processes for the removal of Judges. Though it appears at
the first sight that the proceedings of the Constituent
Assembly relating to the adoption of clauses (4) and (5)
of Article 124 seem to point to the contrary and evince
and intention to exclude determination by a judicial
process of the correctness of the allegations of mis- G
behaviour or incapacity on a more careful examination this
is not the correct conclusion..... " (para 44 at p. 731)

"The proceedings in the Constituent Assembly, there-
fore, do not give an indication that in adopting clauses (4) H
150 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A and (5) of Article 124 of the Constitution, the intention
of the Constituent Assembly was to exclude investigation
and proof of misbehaviour or incapacity of the Judge
sought to be removed, by a judicial body. Having regard
to the views expressed by Shri Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar,
who was a member of the Drafting Committee, while
B opposing the amendments proposed by Shri M. Anan-
thasayanam Ayyangar, it is possible to infer that the in- ·
tention of the Constituent Assembly was that the provision
with regard to the machinery for such investigtion and
proof was a matter which need not be contained in the
c Constitution and it is a matter for which provision could
be made by Parliament by law."

(para 46 at p. 733)
The three available constitutional options were mentioned in the decision
D of which the second which was accepted in the majority opinion is as
under:-

Second. - Since a motion for presenting an address to
E the President referred to in Articles 121 and 124(4) has
to be on ground of 'proved' misbehaviour and incapacity,
no such motion can be m.ade until the allegations relating
to misbehaviour or incapacity have first been found to be
proved in some forµm outside either Houses of Parlia-
F ment. Law under Article 124(5) is mandatory and until
the Parliament enacts a law and makes provision for an
investigation into the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity
and regulates the procedure therefor, no motion for
removal of a Judge would be permissible under Article
124 (4) and the Houses of Parliament would not be
G brought into the picture till some authority outside the two'
Houses of Parliament has recorded a finding of mis-
behaviour or incapacity. The emphasis is on the expression
'proved'. 11

H (para 68 at p. 741)
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. lJ.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 151

Acceptance of the second view was stated thus - A

"The second view has its own commendable features.
It enables the various provisions to be read harmoniously
and, together, consistently with the cherished values of
judicial independence. It also accords due recognition to
B
the word "proved" in Article 124(4). This view would also
ensure uniformity of procedure in both Houses of Parlia-
ment and serve to eliminate arbitrariness in the proceed-
ings for removal of a Judge. It would avoid duplication of
the investigation and inqniry in the two Houses. Let us
elaborate on this." c/
(para 71 at p. 742)

" ..... The motion which lifts the bar contained in
Article 121 is really a motion for such removal under D
clause (4) of Article 124 moved in the House after the
alleged misbehaviour or incapacity has been proved in
accordance with the law enacted by the Parliament under
clause (5) of Article 124. In this conncection, the par-
liamentary procedure commences only after proof of mis-
behaviour or incapacity in accordance' with the law E
enacted under clause (5), the machinery for investigation
and finding of proof of the misbehaviour or incapacity
being statutory, governed entirely by provisions of the law
enacted under clause (5). This also harmonises Article
121. The position would be that an allegation of mis- F
behaviour or incapacity of a Judge has to be made, inves-
tigated and found proved in accordance with the law
enacted by the Parliament under Article• 124(5) without
the Parliament being involved up to that stage; on the
misbehaviour or incapacity of a Judge being found proved
in the manner provided by that law, a motion for present- G
ing an address to the President for removal of the Judge
on that ground would be moved in each House under
Article 124(4); on the motion being so moved after the
proof of misbehaviour or incapacity and it being for
presenting an address to the President praying for removal H
152 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A of the Judge, the bar on discussion contained in Article
I 121 is lifted and discussion can take place in the Parlia-
ment with respect to the conduct of the Judge; and the
further consequenc" would ensue depending on the out-
come of the motion in a House of Parliament. If, however,
the finding reached by the machinery provided in the
B
enacted law is that the allegation is not proved, the matter
ends and there is no occasion to move the motion in
accordance with Article 124(4)."

(para 74 at p. 744)
c
"The other view is that clause (4) of Article 124 gives
power to the Parliament to act for removal of the Judge
on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity in the
manner prescribed if the matter is brought before it at this
D stage; and for reaching that stage the Parliament is re-
quired to enact a law under clause (5) regulating the
procedure for that purpose. This means that making of
the allegation, initiation of the proceedings, investigation
and proof of the misbehaviour or incapacity of a Judge
are governed entirely by the law enacted by the Parliament
E under clause (5) and when that stage is reached, the
Parliament comes into the picture and the motion for
removal of the Judge on the ground of proved mis-
behaviour or incapacity is moved for presentation of the
address to the President in the manner prescribed. .. ...
F This indicates that the machinery for investigation and
proof must necessarily be outside Parliament and not
within it. In other words, proof which involves a discussion
of the conduct of the Judge must be by a body which is
outside the limitation of Article 121. The word 'proved'
also denotes proof in the manner understood in our legal
G system i.e. as a result of a judicial process. The policy
appears to be that the entire stage up to proof of mis-
behaviour or incapacity, beginning with tlie initiation of
investigation on the allegation being made, is governed by •
the law enacted under Article 124 (5) and in view of the
H restriction provided in Article 121, that machinery has to
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 153

be outside the Parliament and not within it. If this be so, A
it is a clear pointer that the Parliament neither has any
role to play till misconduct or incapacity is found proved
nor has it any control over the machinery provided in the
law enacted under Article 124(5). The Parliament comes
in the picture only when a fmding is reached by that
machinery that the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity has
B
been proved. The Judges (Inqlliry) Act, 1968 enacted
.under Article 124(5) itself indicates that the Parliament
so understood the integrated scheme of Articles 121,
124(4) and 124(5). The general scheme of the Act con-
. forms to this view....... " c
(para 76 at p. 745)

"If this be the co"ect position, then the validity of law
enacted by the Parliament under clause (5) of Article 124
and the stage up to conclusion of the inquiry in accordance D
with that law being governed entirely by statute would be
open to judicial review as the parliamentary process under
Article 124(4) commences only after a finding is recorded
that the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity is proved in the
inquiry conducted in accordance with the law enacted under E
clause (5). For this reason the argument based on exclusivity
of Parliament's jurisdiction over the process and progress of
inquiry under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 and conse-
quently exclusion of this Court's jurisdiction in the matter
at this stage does not arise. ..... "
F
(para 77 at p. 746)

(emphasis supplied)

" ...... This indicates that this area is not left uncovered
which too is a pointer that the stage ai which the bar in G
Article 121 is lifted, is the starting point of the parliamen-
tary process i.e. when the misbehaviour or inca;>acity is
proved; the stage from the initiation of the process by
making the allegation, its mode, investigation and proof
are covered by the law enacted under clause (5); in case H
154 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A the allegation is not proved, the condition precedent to
invoke the Parli'ament's jurisdiction under clause (4), does
not exist, which is the reason for Section 6 of 1968 Act
,
1
saying so; and in case it is proved, the process under clause
(4) commences, culminating in the result provided in it."

B (para 79 at p. 747)

"Accordingly, the scheme is that the entire process of
removal is in two parts - the first under clause (5) from
initiation to investigation and proof of misbehaviour or
c incapacity is covered by an enacted law, Parliament's role
being only legislative as in all the laws enacted by it; and
the second part only after proof under clause (4) is in
Parliament, that process commencing only on proof in
~ccordance with th.e Jaw enacted under clause (5). Thus
the first part is entirely statutory while the second part
D alone is the parliamentary process.

The Constitution intended a clear provision for the
first part covered fully by enacted law, the validity of which
and the process thereunder being subject to judicial
review independent of any political colour and after proof
E
it was intended to be a parliamentary process. It is this
synthesis made in our Constitutional Scheme for removal
of a Judge."

(paras 81 and 82 at pp. 747-748)
F
"Indeed, the Act reflects the constitutional philosophy
of both the judicial and political elements of the process
of removal. The ultimate authority remains with the Par-
liament in the sense that even if the committee for inves-
tigation records a finding that the Judge is guilty of the
G charges it is yet open to the Parliament to decide not to
present an address to the President for removal. But if the
committee records a finding that the Judge is not guilty,
then the political element in the process of removal has
no further option. The law is, indeed, a civilised piece of
H legislation reconciling the concept of accountahilty of
SMT. S. RAMASWAMJ v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] . 155

Judges and the values of Judicial independence." A
(para 97 at pp. 751-752)

"Our conclusions, therefore, ·on Contentions B, C and
D are as under:
B
The constitutional process for removal of a judge up
to the point of admission of the motion, constitution of
the committee and the recording of findings by the com-
mittee are not, strictly, proceedings in the Houses of
Parliament. The Speaker is a statutory authority under the
Act. Up to that point the matter cannot be said to remain c
outside the Court's jurisdiction. Contention B is answered
accordingly.

Prior proof of misconduct in accordance with the law
made under Article 124(5) is a condition precedent for
the lifting of the bar under Article 121 against discussing
D
the conduct of a Judges in the Parliament. Article 124(4)
really becomes meaningful only with a law made under
Article 124(5). Without such a law the constitutional
scheme and process for removal of a Judge remains in-
choate. Contention C is answered accordingly." E
(paras 99 and 100 at pp. 752-753)

The proceeding being statutory means that it is governed in that part
by the law enacted under Article 124(5) and it is statutory in the sense that
it is outside the Parliament while thereafter in case of a finding of 'guilty' F
by the Committee, the proceedings are in the Parliament.

The constitutional scheme indicated by clauses (4) and (5) of Article
124 and reflected in the law enacted by the Parliament under Article 124(5)
is, as indicated in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability, 'a judicious
blend of the politicial and.judicial processes for the removal of Judges' and, G
therefore, we must first look at these provisions to provide the answer to
every qi.ery raised in this context. The different schemes for removal of
Judges in the other countries do not provide the answer to t~e problem
before us and are at best only of marginal precedent value. The practice
and precedents in other countries, such as Australia, may provide guida'nce H
156 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A only in respect of the political part of the procedure in our constitutional
scheme which commences after a finding of 'guilty' is made by the Inquiry
Committee and the report is laid before the Parliament under Section 4(3)
of the Act. We must, therefore, find the indication for the problem before
us primarily from the provisions of the Constitution and the law enacted
B under Article 124(5). In view of 'a judicious blend of the political and
judicial processes' in the constitutional scheme in India, no one need look
askance at the exclusion of judicial review at the instance of everyone in
case the Inquiry Committee makes a finding that the Judge is 'not guilty'.
The clear pointer is that the accusation made in the manner prescribed by
the specified minimum number of Members of Parliament having been
C investigated by an Inquiry Committee comprising of high judicial dig-
nitaries and the conclusion reached by them being that the Judge is 'not
guilty' of any misbehaviour, the matter must conclude there scotching all
rumours without anyone being permitted to even reagitate much less
examine the correctness of the finding of 'not guilty'.
D
When the finding in the Committee's report is that the Judge is 'guilty'
of any misbehaviour, then Section 6(2) of the Act :nandates that the motion
for removal of the Judge shall be taken up for consideration by the House
together with the report of the Committee submitted in accordance with Sec-
tion 4(2) and laid before it under Section 4(3) of the Act. Rule 9(1) of the
E Rules provides that where the members of the Inquiry Committee are not
unanimous, the report submitted by the Committee shall be in accordance
with the finding of the majority of the members thereof. We have already
indicated the provision in Rule 9(6) and its true import where the majority of
the members makes a finding that the Judge is not guilty. Rule 9(4) provides
F for the other situation where the majority of the member of the Committee
make a finding that the Judge is guilty of misbehaviour but the third member
makes a contrary finding. Unlike sub-rule (6) which contains a clear prohibi-
tion against disclosure of the dissenting opinion of the third member when the
majority opinion is that the Judge is not guilty, sub-rule (4) requires that where
the majority opinion is that the Judge is guilty, the finding to the contrary made
G by the third member shall also be forwarded by the Inquiry Committee along
with the report submitted under Section 4(2) of the Act in accordance with the
findings of the majority that the Judge is guilty, as required by Rule 9(1). This
distinction in the two situations is significant. Whereas according to Rule 9(6),
the dissenting opinion of the third member is not even to be disclosed to
H anyone including the Parliament, where the majority of the members of the
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 157

Inquiry Committee makes a finding that the Judge is not guilty of any mis- A
behaviour, where the majority finds the Judge 'guilty' of misbehaviour, the
dissenting opinion of the third member to the contrary, that is, 'not guilty'
must be forwarded along with the report submitted under Section 4(2) of the
Act. Sub-rule (5) of Rule 9 further lays down that an authenticated copy of the
finding made by the third member referred to in sub-rule (4) shall also be laid B
before each House of Parliament. Obviously, the purpose of requiring the
dissenting opinion of not guilty by the third member to be submitted along
with the report under Section 4(2) and the further requirement that it should
also be laid before each House of Parliament is to enable the Parliament while
considering the motion for removal of the Judge on a finding of guilty being
recorded by the majority of members of the Inquiry Committee to take into C
account the dissenting opinion as well before deciding whether to act on the
majority opinion of guilty or not. Rule 10(2) requires a copy of the evidence
received by the Inquiry Committee to be also laid before each House of Par·
liamenl alung with the report. These provisions indicate the manner of con·
sideration by the Parliament of the motion for removal of the Judge before D
taking a decision whether the motion is to be adopted in accordance with
Article 124{4) or not since it is only on the motion being so adopted by the
requisite majority in each House of Parliament that the misbehaviour or in·
capacity of the Judge shall be deemed to have been proved as provided in
Section6(3) of the Act.
E
The Parliament while considering the motion for removal of the
Judge for deciding whether to adopt the motion or not takes into con-
sideration the report as well as the dissenting opinion, if any, of the third
member of the Inquiry Committee in case the majority opinion is that the
Judge is guilty, along with the entire evidence received by the Inquiry F
Committee on which the finding of guilty of the Inquiry Committee is
based. No doubt, the Parliament does not substitute its finding for that of
the Inquiry Committee or supersede it in case it decides not to adopt the
motion by the requisite majority so that the motion for removal of the
Judge fails and the proceedings terminate but in doing so it does take the
decision to not adopt the motion because it declines to accept and act on G
the finding of guilty recorded in the report of the Committee after debating
the issue on the basis of the materials before it.

These express provisions in the law enacted under Article 124(4)
leave no doubt that a full consideration on merits including correctness of H
158 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A the finding of 'guilty' made by the Inquiry Committee on the basis of the
materials before the Parliament is contemplated during the parliamentary
part of the process the removal of a Judge. Notwithstanding the finding of
'guilty' made by the Inquiry Committee in its report, the Parliament may,
on a full consideration of the matter on the materials before it, choose not
to adopt the motion for removal of the fodge which would terminate the
B process of removal.

Consistent with this scheme which is manifest from the provisions of
the law enacted under Article 124(5) is the requirement that the Parliament
should also have the benefit of the comments, if any, of the concerned
C Judge on the finding of 'guilty' against him made in the report of the
Inquiry Committee. In addition to the ·requirement of placing of the
materials received by the Inquiry Committee before each House of Parlia-
ment in accordance with Rule 10(2), the requirement in sub-rules (4) and
(5) of Rule 9 of the dissenting opinion of not guilty by the third member
D of the Inquiry Committee to be also made available to the Parliament is a
clear indication that when the Parliament takes up for consideration the
motion for removal of the Judge along with the report containing the
finding of 'guilty' made by the Inquiry Committee, the Parliament should
have not merely the entire material received by the Inquiry Committee on
which its finding of 'guilty' is based but also the contrary opinion of not
E guilty recorded on the same material by the third member of the Commit-
tee. The concerned Judge would invariably be in a position to facilitate the
task of the Parliament in this behalf by indicating his point of view against
the finding of guilty recorded in the Committee's report, in case he chooses
to avail of the opportunity. It is, therefore, implicit in the constitutional
a
F scheme for the removal of Judge provided in Article 124(4) and the law
enacted under Article 124(5) that the Parliament should also have the
benefit of the point of view and the comments, if any, of the concerned
Judge on the finding of 'guilty' against him recorded by the Inquiry Com-
mittee in its report when the Parliament takes up the motion for removal
of the Judge for consideration along with the Inquiry Committee's report
G and the other relevant materials made available to it. To enable perfor-
mance of this exercise and to effectuate the concerned Judge's right to
show cause against the finding of 'guilty' made in the report at this stage
to the Parliament, it is the clear obligation of the Speaker/Chairman to
supply a copy of the Inquiry Committee's report to the concerned Judge
H while causing it to be laid before the Parliament under S_ection 4(3) 'as
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 159

soon as may be' on its submission under Section 4(2). This view also has A
the advantage of providing the concerned Judge an opportunity during the
parliamentary part of the process of removal to place his point of view and
offer the comments, if any, on the finding of 'guilty' against him made by
the Inquiry Committee for consideration by the Parliament before voting
on the motion for removal of the Judge. B
The further question then is of the nature of this opportunity to the
conerned Judge during the parliamentary part of the process. Reference
to the procedure adopted for giving an opportunity to Mr. Justice Vasta
of the Supreme Court of Queensland in Australia where the process for
removal of the Judge was entirely parliamentary was made by Shri F.S. C
Nariman. Learned counsel submitted that an opportunity to the learned
Judge during the parliamentary process in the case of the finding of 'guilty'.
by the Committee is not inconsistent with the constitutional scheme
adopted in India where the parliamentary process commences only after a
finding of 'guilty' is recorded by the Inquiry Committee during the statutory D
part. The learned A :torney General expressed his full agreement with this
submission of Shri Nariman. Shri Kapil Sibal without contesting this sub-
mission of Shri Nariman sup;iorted on this aspect by the Attorney Genera~
contended that it would be needless harassment to the learned Judge to
face also the parliamentary process if the finding of 'guilty', if any, recorded
by the Committee in its report can be quashed by resort to judicial review E
thereof at this stage on the permissible grounds.

We fmd no reason to doubt the correctness of the submission of Shri
Nariman about the requirement of an opportunity to the concerned Judge
to place his point of view with the comments, if any, against the t
Committee's fmding of 'guilty' for consideration by the Parliament along
with the other materials available to it while considering the motion for
I removal of the Judge to decide to adopt or not to adopt it. We are,
therefore, of the opinion that in the constitutional scheme in India en-
visaged and reflected by the constitutional provisions and the law enacted
thereunder for the removal of a Judge it is implicit that such an opportunity G
be given to the concerned Judge when the Parliament takes up the motion
for his removal for consideration along with the Committee's report and
other relevant materials. We have already indicated the obligation of the
Speaker/Chairman to supply a copy of the report to the concerned Judge
while laying it before the Parliament under Section 4(3) as a rart of this H
160 SUPREMECOURTREPORTS [1992] SUPP. l S.C.R.

A opportunity to be given to the learned Judge. 'J!he precise details of the
manner in which such an opportunity is to be given to the concerned Judge
may be for the Speaker/Chairman and the Parliament to decide, but it does
appear to us to be the clear mandate in our constitutional scheme that the
procedure adopted for this purpose should be such as would ensure
B availability to each House of Parliament of the concerned Judge's point of
view and comments, if any, on the finding of guilty made in the Committee's
report when it takes up for consideration the motion for removal of the
Judge, such procedure ensuring fairness to the concerne<I Judge and being
in keeping with the dignity of the high office held by the learned Judge.

C This aspect being related to the right of judicial review available to
the concerned Judge and in view of our above opinion that an opportunity
to the Judge during the parliamentary process is clearly implicit in the
constitutional scheme, a brief reference to the nature of opportunity given
in the case of Justice Vasta in Australia would be helpful as a pursuasive
D precedent.

Justice Angelo Vasta faced a proceeding for his removal from office
as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland in Australia. A Commis-
sion of Inquiry was set up under the Parliamentary (Judges) Commission
of Inquiry Act, 1988. The function of the Commission as provided in the
E Act was to inquire and advise the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
whether the behaviour of Justice Vasta warranted his removal from office.
The Commission was constituted of a former Chief Justice of Australia and
two other Judges. The Commission was gnided by the Special Report of
the Australian Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the conduct of
F Justice Lionel Murphy, a Judge of the High ·court of Australia under
Section 72 of the Australian. Constitution. The Commission advised the
Legislative Assembly of Queensland that in the opinion of the members of
the Commission, the behaviour of Justice Vasta in relation to the matters
specified warranted his removal from office as a Judge of the Supreme
Court of Queensland. The report of the Commission of Inquiry concerning
G Justice Vesta was laid on the table of the House on May 30, 1989. The
Parliamentary Debates No. 16, 1988-89, from page 5146, indicate the
procedure adopted by the Legislative Assembly of Queensland on the
report of the Commission of Inquiry being laid before the House. On May
30, 1989, Mr. M.J. Ahern, Premier and Minister for State Department,
H moved the House in the matter and while saying that Justice Vasta be
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v, U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 161

called upon to show cause why he should not be removed from office, A
speaking on· the motion the Premier said :-

The Commissioners have found and reported to Parlia-
ment that there has been behaviour by the Judge such that
his removal from office is warranted. No responsible Par-
liament could in those circumstances do other than call B
upon the judge to show cause why he should not be
removed. That course is consistent with history, convention,
the law and proper constitutional practice. The resolution
proposed by the Government will give the judge full and
proper opportunity to show cause without embarking up a C
re-examination of those matters so minutely and carefully
examination (sic )by the Commissioners.

xxx xxx xxx

I intend to say no more. I urge all honourable members D
to adopt a similar discretion in the interests of not
prejudicing the judge and his right to appear before us to
attempt to show cause.11
(at p. 5147)
E
(emphasis supplied)

In seconding the motion, the Minister for Justice and Attorney
General, Mr. P J. Clauson said :-

"xxx xxx xxx F
By establishing the Parliamentary Judges Commission, the
Assembly delegated to that body the difficult and arduous
task of hearing the eviaence, determining questions of
credit and law, and making recommendations which we
will consider. Of course, the final decision rests quite G
prQperly with the Legislative Assembly. The Parliamen-
tary Commission was established to assist Parliament, not
to pre-empt its important constitutional role.

xxx xxx xxx H
162 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A I believe that Mr. Justice Vasta has the right - and we have
the duty to allow him - to address us, either personally or
by his legal representatives, should he so wish; but the
purpose of this privilege is to assist us in our difficult
deliberation ........ .

B Finally, I also wish to emphasise to honourable members
that it would be inappropriate at this stage for there to be
debate on the findings of the Commission and it would ·be
better both for the dignity of this House and in fairness to
Mr. Justice Vasta that we give him the opportunity to address
c us before the matter is fully debated and a decision is made
by the Assembly."
(at pp. 5147-48)
(emphasis supplied)

D The Parliamentary Debates further show that Justice Vasta was given
such an opportunity which he availed. It is not necessary in the present
case to make any further reference to the proceedin!!s against Justice
Vasta. Suffice it to say that the materials relating to the proceedings of
removal of Justice Vasta show clearly that he was given an opportunity to
show cause against his removal from office as a Judge by the Parliament
E when it took up for consideration the recommendation of the Commission
of Inquiry which had found him guilty of misbehaviour warranting his
removal; and the cause shown by Justice Vasta before the Legislative
Assembly was taken into consideration in making the final decision.

p We find no reason why in the constitutional scheme adopted in India,
the concerned Judge should not be given a similar opportunity when the
Parliament takes up for consideration the motion for his removal on a
finding of 'guilty' being made by the Committee constituted under the
Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Such an opportunity is consistent with and is
also the requirement of fairness, an essential attribute of procedure for any
G decision having civil consequences. We need say no more on this aspect.
We consider it necessary to say this much in view of our above opinion and
Shri F.S. Nariman's submission with which the learned Attorney General
agreed that this is the kind of procedure which the Parliament is expected
to and is likely to follow in the present case, should the occasion arise for
H commencement of the parliamentary process if the Committee finds the
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. (VERMA, J.] 163

learned Judge 'guilty' of misbehaviour. A

If the constitutional scheme, as we have held, envisages and provides
for an opportunity to the concerned Judg~ to show cause against his
removal from office on the finding of 'guiltf recorded by the Inquiry
Committee being placed before the Parliament for its consideration and B
!he Parliament is required to take it into account before it decides to accept
the finding of 'guilty' and act on it by adopting the motion of removal by
the requisite majority or not to adopt the motion which would terminate
the proceedings for removal, it would indicate that the opportunity of this
kind in the scheme to show cause is against the inchoate finding of guilty
prior to the stage of making the final decision which alone is required to C
be subject to judicial review. The clear intendment is that in such a
situation it is the Parliament which should first consider the question
without there being any need for judicial review at that stage. This is so
because the misbehaviour is deemed to be proved, according to Section 6(3)
of. the Act, only when the Parliament adopts the motion in the manner D
prescribed. The remedy of judicial review to the concerned Judge is
available only when his misbehaviour is 'deemed to be proved' in law and
not against the inchoate finding of 'guilty' made by the Inquiry Committee
which may or may not be acted upon by the Parliament. Another reason
to support this view appears to be that the proceedings for removal of a
Judge are required to be concluded at the earliest in public interest and, E
therefore, no interdiction of the process is contemplated at the stage of an
inchoate finding of 'guilty' by the Inquiry Committee. An opportunity to
the concerned Judge at that stage also to show cause against that inchoate
finding of 'guilty' fully safeguards his interest without the need for judicial
review at that stage, the scope for Parliament's scrutiny of the Committee's F
finding of guilty being very wide.

Even though judicial review of the finding of 'guilty' made by the
Inquiry Committee may be permissible on limited grounds pertaining only
to legality, yet the power of the Parliament would not be so limited while G
considering the motion for removal inasmuch as the Paarliament is em-
puwered to not adopt the motion in spite of the finding of 'guilty' made by
the Committee on a consideration of the entire material before it which
enables it to go even into the probative value .,f the material on which the
finding is based and to decide the desirability of adopting the motion in a
given case. The Parliament decides by voting on the motion aLd is not H
164 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A required to give any reasons for its decision if it chooses not to adopt the
motion. We have already indicated that the concerned Judge is to be given
an opportunity to show cause against his removal before the Parliament.
There is no reason to assume that the Parliament would not discharge its
obligation in the constitutional scheme with as much responsibility and
seriousness as is expected from any other organ of the State or authority
B involved in the process of removal of a Judge. The nature and extent of
power entrusted to the Parliament in this process is a relevant factor to
indicate exclusion of judicial review till after the making of the order of
removal by the President in case the parliament adopts the motion by the
requisite majority. The finding of 'guilty' made by the Committee is only a
C recommendation to the Parliament to commence its process and to act on
that finding which, at best, is tentative and inchoate at the stage of submis-
sion of the report under Section 4 of the Act.

The contrary view would result in a serious anomaly. If the finding of
D 'guilty' made by the Committee by itself amounts to 'proved misbehaviour' for
the purpose of Article 124(4), anomalous situation would arise if the Parlia-
ment does not adopt the motion of removal thereafter. In that situation the
process would end and, notwithstanding a finding of 'proved misbehaviour',
the Judge cannot be removed from office. Such a piquant situation at the end
of the process of removal in spite of a finding of 'proved misbehaviour' could
E never be contemplated in the scheme and, therefore, a construction which can
lead to that absurdity must be eschewed.

This being so, the remedy of judicial review to the concerned Judge
has to be only after the stage of his 'proved misbehaviour' is reached on
F adoption of the motion by the Parliament which leads inevitably to the
order of removal made by the President in accordance with Article 124(4).
Resort to judicial review by the concerned Judge between the time of
conclusion of the inquiry by the Committee and making of the order of
removal by the President would be premature and is unwarranted in the
constitutional scheme.
G
This construction while protecting the interest of the concerned Judge
gives full effect and due importance to the role of all the high dignit<tries
involved in the process of removal, there being no reason to doubt that each
one of them would be fully alive to the significance of his role and extent of
H obligation under the constitutional scheme. If, however, any illegality occurs
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 165

even then, the provision for judicial review at the end of the process permits its A
correction without inte ·dieting the proce.ss in between.

We may at this stage deal with the other submission of Shri Kapil
Sibal that the Inquiry Conimittee is a Tribunal for the purpose of Article
136 of the Constitution.
B
Shri Kapil Sibal has urged that the Committee constituted by the
Speaker/Chairman in exercise of his power under Section 3(2) of the
Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 is a 'Tribunal' for the purpose of Article 136 of
the Constitution and since an appeal would lie in this Court against the
findings of the said Committee, the report of the ·Committee is required to C
be furnished to the Judge concerned in order to enable him to exercise
that right. Shri Sibal has pointed out that while recording its findings on
the charges framed by it the Committee exercises judicial functions. Ref-
erence has been made to the provisions of Section 5 of the Act to show
that the Conimittee has the trappings of a court. Relying on the decisions
of this Court in The Bharat Bank Ltd. v. Employees of the Bharat Bank Ltd., D
[1950].SCR 459; Durga Shankar Mehta v. Thakur Raghuraj Singh & Ors.,
~1955] 1 SCR 267; lndo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. v. Jasjit Singh;
(1964] 6 SCR 594 and Dev Singh & Ors. v. Registrar, Punjab & Haryana High
Court & Ors., [1987] 2 SCR 1005, Shri Sibal has contended that the
Committee fulfils the tests laid down by this Court for determining whether E
an authority is a tribunal for the purpose of Article 136. The learned
Attorney General has supported Shri Sibal.

Before we deal with the question whether the Committee in the
present case fulfils the tests for determining whether a particular body is
a tribunal, we may briefly refer to some of the decisions of this Court F
wherein this question has been considered.

In Jaswant Sugar Mills Ltd. v. Lakshmichand & Ors., (1963] Supp. 1
SCR 242, at p. 260, the expression 'determination', in the context in which
it occurs in Article 136, has been construed to mean "an effective expres-
sion of opinion which ends a controversy or a dispute by some authority to G
whom it is submitted under a valid law of disposal''. It was further held that
the expression "order must also have a similar meaning, except that it need
11

not operate to end the dispute. The Conciliation Officer, while. granting or
refusing permission to alter the terms of employment of workmen, in
exercise of the power conferred upon him by clause 29 of the order issued H
166 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh under the U.P. Industrial Disputes Act,
1947, was held not to be a Tribunal under Article 136 though the Concilia-
tion Officer was required to act judicially. It was observed :

"He is concerned in granting leave to determine whether
there is a prima facie case for dismissal or discharge of an
B employee or f01 altering terms of employment, and
whether the employer is actuated by unfair motives; he
has not to decide whether the proposed step of discharge
or dismissal of the employee was within the rights of the
employer. His order merely removes a statutory ban in
c certain eventualities, laid upon the common law right of an
employer to dismiss, discharge or alter the terms of
employment according to contract between the parties.
The Conciliation Officer bas undoubtedly to act judicially
in dealing with an application under cl. 29, but be is not
invested with the judicial power of the State: he cannot
D therefore be regarded as a 'tribunal' within the meaning
of Article 136 of the Constitution."
(at p. 262)
(emphasis supplied)

E In Workmen of Meenakshi Mills Ltd. v. Meenakshi Mills Ltd. & Anr.,
JT (1992) 3 SC 446, on a conspectus of the earlier decisions, it was held
by the Constitution Bench that the appropriate Government or authority
while granting or refusing permission for retrenchment of workmen under
Section 25-N of the Industri'!i Disputes Act, 1947, is not a tribunal on the
F view that the position of the appropriate Government or authority exercis-
ing the said power was not very different from that of a conciliation officer
who was held to be not a tribunal in Jaswant Sugar Mills. The view taken
was that there was no provision attaching finality to an order under Section
25-N(2) and it was permissible for the workmen aggrieved by retrenchment
G affected in pursuance of order granting permission for such retrenchment
to raise an industrial dispute and also open to the appropriate Government
to refer such a dispute for adjudication. It is unnecessary to refer to the
earlier decisions considered therein.

The decisions of this Court indicate that one of the considerations
H which has weighed with the Court for holding a statutory authority to be a
SMT.S. RAMASWAM!v. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 167

tribunal under Article 136 is finality or conclusiveness and the binding A
nature of the determination by such authority.

It may be pointed out that in Dev Singh & Ors. v. Registrar, Punjab
& Haryana High Court & Ors. (supra), on which reliance was placed by Shri
Sibal, it was held that the High Court, while exercising its appellate powers
under Rule X(2) in Chapter 18-A of the Rules and Orders of the Punjab B
High Court Vol. I, against penalties inflicted by the District Judge in
disciplinary proceedings against ministerial servants, was acting purely
administratively and was not acting as a tribunal since it was not resolving
any dispute or controversy between two adversaries but only exercising its
power of control over the subordinate judiciary. It was observed : C

"..... In certain matters even Judges have to act administra-
tively and in so doing may have to act quasi-judicially in
dealing with the matters entrusted to them. It is only where
the authorities are required to act judicially either by
express provisions of the statute or by necessary implica- D
tion that the decisions of such an authority would amount
to a quasi-judicial proceedings. When Judges in exercise
of their administrative functions decides cases it cannot
be said that their decisions are either judicial or quasi-
judicial decisions ..... In the appeal before the High Court, E
the High Court was following its own procedure, a pro-
cedure not normally followed in judicial matters. The High
Court was not resolving any dispute or controversy between
two adversaries. In other words, while deciding this appeal
there was no /is before the High Court. The High Court was
only exercising its power of control while deciding this F
appeal ....... "

(at pp. 1028-29)

(emphasis supplied)
G
We have earlier indicated the constitutional scheme in the process
of removal of a Judge as envisaged by clauses (4) and (5) of Article 124
read with the provisions of the law enacted under Article 124(5). It is with
reference to that constitutional scheme that this contention has to be
examined. H
168 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A It is no doubt true that while investigating into the charges framed
by it against the Judge, the Committee is required to act judicially and, as
held by this Court in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability, the said
proce~s is subject to judicial review. But the question is whether in dis-
charging this function the Committee acts as a tribunal. In order to answer
B the question it is necessary to examine the nature of determination made
by the Committee.

In this context, it would be relevant to recall the scheme indicated
earlier. The determination by the Committee that the Judge is 'not guilty'
of misbehaviour, is alone final as it terminates the proceeding. However,
C in that case there is no scope for judicial review of the finding of 'not guilty'
made by the Committee as already indicated. This aspect negates the
character of tribunal for this reason alone. In the other situation when the
Committee's determination is that the Judge is 'guilty' of misbehaviour, that
finding is inchoate which may or may not be acted upon by the Parliament.
D Fmding of 'guilty' made by the Committee is in the nature of recommen-
dation to Parliament to commence its process and by itself is not self-ef-
fectuating. Thus, the finding recorded by the Committee where it finds the
Judge guilty of any misbehaviour being subject to acceptance by the
Parliament, is not final and is, therefore, not conclusive.

E No action is to be taken on the motion in case the Committee finds
that the Judge is not guilty of any misbehaviour. In that event if the
Committee has to be regarded as a tnbunal under Article 136, it would
serve no useful purpose and would also lead to the anamolous result that
the Committee is to be treated as a tribunal if it finds that the Judge is not
F guilty of any misbehaviour but it is not to be treated as a tribunal if it finds
that the Judge is guilty of any misbehaviour. The character of the Commit-
tee as a-tribunal cannot depend on the findings that are ultimately recorded
by it.

The misbehaviour of the Judge is 'deemed to be proved' according
G to Section 6(3) of the Act only when the motion is adopted by the
Parliament and not otherwise. The finding of 'guilty' made by the Commit-
tee does not by itself bring about that result. An essential test of the
determinative nature of the finding, an attribute of the tribunal is lacking.
The test indicated in Dev Singh (supra) of the absence of any dispute or
H lis between two adversaries also negatives the contention that the Commit-
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U;Q.J. (YEP.MA, J.] 169

tee is a tribunal for the purpose of Article 136. A
In effect, the report of the Inquiry Committee containing a finding
that the Judge is guilty of misbehaviour is in the nature of-recommendation
for his removal which may or may not be acted upon by the Parliament
while considering the motion for removal according to the procedure laid
down in the Constitution for removal of a superior Judge, which is the only B
manner of curtailing the fixed tenure of the Judge. This is for security of
tenure and thereby to ensure independence of the higher judiciary. The
report of the Committee being of this kind, in our opinion, the Inquiry
Committee cannot be treated as a 'tribunal' for the purpose of Article 136
of the Constitution. For this reason, no provision is made in the Jaw enacted C
under Article 124(5) for supply of a copy of the report by the Committee
to the concerned Judge before submitting it to the Speaker as required by
Section 4 of the Act in the manner prescribed in the Rules.

If the supply of a copy of the report to the Judge by the Committee
before its submission to the Speaker was contemplated by the Jaw enacted D
under Article 124(5) that area would not be left blank in the·provisions
made in the Jaw while providing elaborately for submission of the report
together, with its manner, including the number of copies, in Section 4 of
the Act and Rule 9 framed thereunder. The absence of such a provision
in this law is deliberate and not an inadvertent omission to emphasise E
absence of that requirement which also matches the contruction made by
us of the constitutional scheme including the requirement of an opportunity
to show cause against removal to be given by the Parliament to the Judge.

Keeping in view the aforesaid provisions of the Act and Rules and
specially the fact that certain finding recorded by a member of the Com- F
mittee is not required to be disclosed in tqe given circumstances and the
finding recorded by the Committee holding that the Judge is guilty of any
misbehaviour is not final and conclusive, it is legally not permissible to hold
ti.at the Committee is a tribunal under Article 136 of the Constitution. This
contention of Shri Sibal is, therefore, rejected. G

No doubt, on a motion for presenting an address to the President
praying for removal of the Judge being adopted in each House of Parlia-
ment by the requisite majority in the manner prescribed, the misbehaviour
or incapacity of the Judge is 'deemd to be proved' and the order of
removal made by the President in accordance with Article 124(4) would H
170 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A follow. The question is: whether it is open to the concerned Judge so
removed to challenge the finding of 'guilty' made by the Inquiry Committee
which leads to the making of order of removal by the President after the
President has made the order of removal? Shri Nariman's submission was
that judicial review of the order of removal may not be excluded but he
B could not definitely say so. The learned Attorney General as well as Shri
Sibal submitted that it is likely that the remedy of judicial review may be
available to the concerned Judge after the order of removal has been made,
but it was extremely doubtful. Shri Sibal added that with the parliamentary .
part of the process intervening, it appeared more unlikely that such a
remedy would be available to the concerned Judge after the order of
C removal is made by the President.

On giving our anxious consideration to the submissions made by the
learned counse~ we find no embargo, in principle or authority, to infer that
in the constitutional scheme adopted in India, Judicial review of the finding
D of guilty recorded by the Inquiry Committee during the statutory part of
the process is impermissible after that tentative finding matures into
'proved misbehaviour' culminating in the order of removal. The argument
of 'now or never' does not appeal to us and what appears more consistent
in the constitutional scheme is that judicial review on permissible grounds
is available not now but at the end of the process after the order of removal,
E if that stage is reached. In our view, this conclusion adequately protects the
right of the concerned Judge, ensures expeditious conclusion of the process
once it is commenced in the manner prescribed and accords with the view
that the scheme is 'a judicious blend of the political and judicial processes
for the removal of Judges'. It ensures preservation of the right, interest and
F dignity of the learned Judge and is commensurate with the dignity of all
the institutions and functionaries involved in the process. It also excludes
the needless meddling in the process by busy bodies confining the par-
ticipation in it to the Members of Parliament, the Speaker/Chairman and
the Inquiry Committee comprising of high judicial functionaries apart from
the concerned Judge, if tlle allegations permitted to be made only in the
G prescribed manner justify an inquiry into the conduct of the Judge.

In the event of an order of removal being made by the President
under Article 124(4), the right of the concerned Judge to seek judicial
review on permissible grounds would be for quashing the order of removal
H made against him on the basis that the finding of 'guilty' made by the
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.OJ. [VERMA, J.] 171

Inquiry Committee in its report which matured into 'proved misbehaviour' A
on adoption of the motion by Parliament suffers from an illegality render-
ing it void resulting in the extinction of the condition precedent for com-
mencement of the parliamentary process for removal in the absence of
which there is no foundation for considering or adopting the motion for
presenting an address to the President for removal of the Judge and,
therefore, no authority in the President to make the order of removal. B

The permissible grounds for judicial review of the finding of 'guilty'
reached by a statutory process are well-settled and whether the ground of
challenge in a given case is available for this purpose or not would be a
question of fact in each case. In view of the limited question raised in this C
petition after conclusion of the proceedings before the Inquiry Committee
and the preparation of its report, there is no occasion for us to examine
the grounds of attack to a finding of 'guilty', if any, reached in the present
case. That question does not arise for consideration by us in the present
proceeding and, therefore, we need not say anything more on this aspect. D

We may, however, add that the intervention of the pl!l'liamentary part
of the process, in case a finding of guilty is made, which according to Shri
Sibal would totally exclude judicial review thereafter is a misapprehension
since limited judicial review even in that area is not in doubt after the
decision of this Court in Keshav Singh (1965) 1 SCR 413. A reference to E
this aspect was made also in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability,
while dealing with the meaning and scope of clause (5) of Article 124 of
the Constitution. It was said therein as under :

"Article 124(5) is in the nature of a special provision
intended to regulate the procedure for removal of a Judge F
under Article 124(4) which is not a part of the normal
business of the House but is in the nature of special
business. It covers the entire field relating to removal of
a Judge. Rules made under Article 118 have no applica-
tion in this field.
G
Article 124(5) has no comparison with Article 119.
Articles 118 and 119 operate in the same field viz., normal
business of the House. It was, therefore, necessary to
spe oifically prescribe that the law made under Article 119
shall prevail over the rules of procedure made under H
172 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A Article 118. Since Articles 118 and 124(5) operate in
different fields a provision like that contained in Article
119 was not necessaryandeven in the absence of such a
provision, a law made under Anicle 124(5) will override the
rules made under Anicle 118 and shall be binding on both
the Houses of Parliament. A violation of such law would
B constitute illegality and could not be immune from judicial
scrutiny under Article 122(1)."

(paras 95 aod 96 at p. 751)

(emphasis supplied)
c
At this stage, a reference to the nature aod scope of judicial review
as understood in similar situations is helpful. In Administrative Law (Sixth
Edition) by H.W.R. Wade, in the Chapter "Constitutional Foundations of
the· Powers of the Courts" under the heading 'The Sovereignty of
D P.irliament', the effect of Parliament's intervention is stated thus :

"..... There are many cases where .:iome admicistrative
order or regulation is required by statute to be approved
by resolutions of the Houses. But this procedure in no way
protects the order or regulation from being condemned
E by the com t, under the doctrine of ultra vires, if it is not
strictly in accordaoce with the Act. Whether the challenge
is made before or after the Houses have given their approval
is immaterial."

(at p. 29)
F
(emphasis supplied)

Later at p. 411, Wade has said that ~n accordance with constitutional
principle, parliamentary approval does not affect the nonnal operation of
G judicial review'. At p. 870 while discussing 'Judicial Review', Wade indicates
the position thus -

"As these cases show, judicial review is in no way
inhibited by the fact that rules or regulations have been
laid before Parliament aod approved, despite the ruling
H of the House of Lords that the test of unreasonableness
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 173

should not then operate in its normal way. The Court of A
Appeal has emphasised that in the case of subordinate
legislation such as an Order in Council approved in draft
by both Houses, 'the courts would without doubt be com-
petent to consider whether or not the Order was properly
made in the sense of being intra vires'."
B
The clear indication, th~.refore, is that mere parliamentary approval
of an action or even a report by an outside authority when without such
approval, the action or report is ineffective by itself, does not have the
effect of excluding judicial review on the permissible grounds. In the
present context, the only question for us to consider is whether judicial C
review of the finding of guilty in the report of the Inquiry Committee
constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 would be permissible on
the available grounds of judicial scrutiny after the making of an order of
removal by the President pursuant to adoption of the motion for removal
by the Parliament based on the Inquiry Committee's report. There is no
ground to hold that judicial review is barred for this reason. D
In our opinion, availability of judicial review to the learned Judge, in
case the need arises as a result of the order of removal made by the
President, after the making of such an order cannot be doubted in view of
the wide powers of the Supreme Court of India. E
Judicial review is the exercise of the cc,urts' inherent power to
determine legality of an action and award suitable relief and thereby
uphold the rule of law. No further statutory authority is needed for the
exercise of this power which is granted by the Constitution of India to the
superior courts. There is no reason to take the view that an order of F
removal of a Judge made by the President of India under Article 124(4) of
the Constitution is immune from judicial review on permissible grounds to
examine the legality of the finding of guilty made by the Inquiry Committee
during the statutory process for removal which is the condition precedent
for commencement of the parliamentary process culminating in the making G
of order of removal by President.

In Regina v. Boundary Commission for England, Ex parte Foot and
Others, Regina v. Boundary Com111ission for England, Ex parte Gateshead
Borough Council and Others [1983) 1 Q.B. 600, C.A., the Court of Appeal
held that the judicial review by the High Court was permissible to consider H
174 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A whether the Boundary Commission had properly carried out the instruc-
tions given by the Parliament in its report under the terms of the House of
Commons. (Redistribution of. Seats) Act, 1979. The conclusion of the Court
of Appeal at p. 635 on examining the merits was as under :-

"..... Parliament has thought it right tu set up inde-
B pendent advisory bodies, the Boundary Commission, to
advise it and, in so doing, it has given the commissions
instructioos as to the criteria to be llttlployed in formulat-
ing that advice. For good reasons, which we can well
understand, Parliament has not asked the courts to advise
c it and it has not provided for any right of appeal to the
courts from the advice or proposed advice of the Bound-
ary Commissions.

This does not mean that the courts have no part to play.
They remain charged with the duty of helping to ensure
D that the instructions of Parliament are carried out. This is
done by a procedure known as judicial review. Precisely
what action, if any, should be taken by the Courts in any
particular case depends upon the circumstances of that case
including, in particular, the nature of the instructions
E which have been given by Parliament to the minister,
authority of body concerned."

(emphasis supplied)

F On that conclusion, the Court of Appeal declined to interfere. The House
of Lords dismissed the further appeal. Judicial review of the action of an
independent advisory body set up by the Parliament to advise it is clearly
indicated by this decision.

In Nottinghamshire County Council and Secretary of State for the
G Environment, City of Bradfored Metropolitan Council and Secretary of State
for the Environmen4 [1986] 1 A.C. 240, the House of Lords specified the
limits of judicial review 'in a matter of public financial administration that
had been one for the political judgment of the Secretary of State and the
House of Commons' clearly indicating existence of the power of review in
H such matter wlii.le circumscribing limits thereof. We are at present con-
SMT.S.RAMASWAM!v. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 175

cerned only with existence of the power of judicial review in such matters A
and not the ~xtent of its limits.

This is also the indication from the decision of the Court of Appeal
in Regina v. Her Majesty's Treasury, Ex parte Smedley, [1986) 1 Q.B. 657,
CA., wherein the relevant passages are as under :
B
"...... It therefore behoves the courts to be ever sensitive
to the paramount need to refrain from trespassing upon
the province of Parliament or, so far as this can be
avoided, even appearing to do so. Although it is not a
matter for me, I would hope and expect that Parliament
would be similarly sensitive to the need to refrain from
c
trespassing upon the province of the courts." (at p. 666)

"I have somewhat laboured these distinctions between
the respective functions of Parliament and Her Majesty in
Council in :he present case, for the purpose of D
demonstrating the somewhat limited role which is allotted
to Parliament by secticn 1(3) of the Act of 1972. This role
is analogous to a power of veto. If it withholds its approval
from the draft Order in Council, the Order cannot be
made. If, however, the approval of Parliament is given, E
Her Majesty in Council is left with a di.Scretfon whether
or not to make the Order. There is no possible question
of the court seeking or being able to control the exercise
of the Parliamentary power of veto. However, I can see
no reason why the exercise of the last mentioned discre-
tion given to Her Majesty in Council should not be open F
to attack in the courts by the process of judicial review,
subject to the stringent restrictions on any such attack
imposed by what has come to be known as the Wednesbury
principle (Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd. v.
Wednesbury Corporation, [1948) 1 K.B. 223, 229) ....... " G
(at p. 672)

The contention that the remedy of judicial review would not be
available to the learned Judge once the parliamentary part of the p•ocess
of removal commences on a finding of guilty being made in the report of H
176 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A the Inquiry Committee, even when it leads to the making of an order of
removal against him on account of the intervention of the parliamentary
process, is, in our opinion, based on a misapprehension and is, therefore,
not acceptable to us.

B We may briefly refer to the indication available of judicial review in
similar situations in some other countries and also mention the two
decisions in Halsted L. Ritter v. The United States, 84 C. Cls. 293 and Adam
Clayton Powell v. John W. McCormack, 23 L. Ed. 2d. 491 : 395 US 486.
Ritter was a Judge of the District Court in the United States who was
impeached for his removal from office in 1936. The House of Repre-
C sentatives of the United States adopted articles of impeachment against
him which were duly presented to the Senate of the United States sitting
as the High Court of Impeachment. Ritter filed a suit to recover his salary
for the period in which the question arose of the Court's jurisdiction to
review the conclusion of the United States Senate in a case of impeachment
D of a Judge. Ritter's suit was dismissed as the Court came to the conclusion
that it had no authority to review the impeachment proceedings held in the
Senate since 'the Senate was the sole tribunal that could take jurisdiction
of the articles of impeachment presented to that body ..... and its decision
is final'. Apart from the fact that the law in United States has undergone
considerable. Change since Ritter's case, it appears to us that Ritter is
E clearly distinguishable since the process for removal of a Judge there was
entirely political, no part of it being statutory, and Article I of the U.S.
Constitution states that the House 'shall have sole power of impeachment'
and that 'the Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments'. On
the contrary, the contitutional scheme in India, as already indicated, is that
the scheme is composite being a judicious ·blend of statutory and par-
F
liamentary components.

Adam Clayton Powell v. John W. McCormack, 23 L. Ed. 2d 491 is a
decision rendered in 1969. It was held by the U.S. Supreme Court that the
G House of Representatives has no power to exclude from its membership a
person duly elected who meets the requirements specified in the Federal
Constitution; and such a person on bein~ excluded fr 0m membership by a
resolution of the House is entitled to a declaratory judgment that his
exclusion was unlawful. It was held that the case was justiciable since the
House of Representatives had no power to exclude from its membership
H any person who was duly elected and who met the requirements specified
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.O.l. [VERMA, J.] 177

in the Constitution, there being a distinction between exclusion from A
Congress and expulsion therefrom. It was held in Powell while dealing with
the question of justiciability and the 'political question doctrine' relating to
it, as under
1
' :-

1
Respondents' first contention is that'this case presents
'

a political question because under Art. I, S. 5, there has B
been a "textually demonstrable constitutional commit-
ment" to the House of the "adjudicatory power" to deter-
mine Powell's qualifications. Thus it is argued that the
House, and the House alone, has power to determine who
is qualified to be a member. c
In order to determine whether there has been a textual
commitment to a co-ordinate department of the Govern-
ment, we must interpret the Constitution. In other words,
we must first determine what power the Constitution
confers upon the House through Art. I, S. 5, before we D
can determine to what extent, if any, the exercise of that
power is subject to judicial review........ "

xxx xxx xxx

nln other words, whether there is a "textually E
demonstrable constitutional commitment of the issue to a
coordinate political department" of government and what
is the scope of such commitment are questions we must
resolve for the first time iu this case. For, as we pointed
out in Baker v. Can-, Supra, "deciding whether a matter
F
has in any measure been committed by the Constitution to
another branch of government, or whether the action of that
branch exceeds whatever authority has been committed, is
itself a delicate exercise in constitutional interpretation, and
is a responsibility of this Court as ultimate interpreter of the
Constitution." G
(paras 22 and 23 at pp. 515-517)
(emphasis supplied)

Powell's case indicates availability of j~dicial review in certain situa-
tions even where the entire process is within the House. H
178 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Salleh Abas v. Abdul Hamid, 1988 L.R.C. 25 was a case relating to
removal of a Supreme Court Judge in Malaysia. Article 125 of the Con-
stitution of Malaysia is similar to Article 124 of the Constitution of India.
Clauses (2), (3) and (4) of Article 125 of the Constitution of Malaysia
provide that a Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be removed from
office except in accordance with the provisions of the Article; clause (3)
B provides for removal on the ground of misbehaviour or of inability, from
infirmity of body or mind or any other cause, properly to discha'rge the
a
functions of. his office and prescribes the appointment of tribunal in
accordance with clause (4) when such a situation arises; and then only is
there removal of a J udgc from office on the recommendation of the
C tribunal. Clause (4) therein prescribes the composition of the tribunal by
appointment of the Judges specified. The question arose of jurisdiction of
the Court to restrain the tribunal appointed under Article 125(3) from
submitting its recommendations or report of the inquiry made by it in
connection With the removal of a Judge of the Supreme Court of Malaysia.
D The Supreme Court of Malaysia expressed its unanimous view as under :

"The function of the Tribunal appointed under Article
125(3) of the Constitution is to enquire and investigate on
the representation and then report to the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong with any recommendation it may make. The
E Tribunal is a body which investigates and does not decide.
It is perfonning a constitutional function. The Tribunal
should not therefore be restrained from performing its
constitutional function.

F Finally, the members of the Tribunal are appointees
of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. From the language of
Article 125 it is clear the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is
entitled to the report of the Tribunal. To restrain the
Tribunal from submitting their report is in effect to
rest.rain His Majesty from receiving the report."
G
(at p. 28)

(emphasis supplied)

Injunction was refused to restrain submission of the report by the
H Tribunal constituted under Artide 125(3).
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 179

Raoul Berger, Impeachment : The Constitutional Problems (1973), A
in Chapter III dealing with 'Judicial Review', states thus :

"..... If there be indeed a conflict between the judicial
jurisdiction in 11 all cases11 and the Senate's "Sole power to
try all impeachments," our course has been marked out by
Chief Justice Marshall : "When two principles come in B
conflict with each other, the court must give them both a
reasonable construction, so as to preserve them both to a
reasonable extent," a canon earlier cited by Elbridge Gerry
in the First Congress. We need only read the power to
"try" as a grant of jurisdiction to try a case in the first c
instance, leaving untouched an appeal to the Supreme
Court from action in excess of jurisdiction - a case !!arising
under" the Constitution. ..... An accommodation of a
"Triaf' by the Senate with an appeal from violation of
constitutional boundaries would harmonize with the
Powell holding that the Article I, S. 5(1) provision that D
''each House ·shall be the Judge of the ... qualifications of
its own membe~s" does not bar inquiry into action in excess
of jurisdiction. ...... "
(at pp. 111-112)
(emphasis supplied)
E
Discussing further 'judicial review' in the context of impeachment proceed-
ings, Raoul Berger states at p. 116 that 'it was never intended that Congress
should be the final judge of the boundaries of its own powers' and proceeds
to say, thus - ·
F
"To this it may be answered that just as the ultimate
guarantee that the judiciary will not step out of bounds is
the. self-restraint of the Court, so the Senate too must be
. trusted to exercise self-restraint. It is one thing, however,
to expect self-restraint of judges schooled to disciplined,
dispassionate judgement, and not subject· to the gusts of G
faction, and something else again to expect self-restraint
·of a body predominantly political in character and which
both in England and the United States has been unable
to shake off partisan .considerations when sitting in judg-
ment. Self-restraint could be relied upon with respect to H
,
180 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A the judiciary because, in the words of Hamilton, they "have
·neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment," and
were "therefore the least dangerous to the political rights
of the Constitution." .....

Constitutional limits, as Powell v. McCormack, again
B reminds us, are subject to judicial enforcement; and I
would urge that judicial review of impeachments is required
to protect the other branches from Congress' arlJitrary will.
It is hardly likely that the Framers, so devoted to "checks
and balances," who so painstakingly piled one check of
c Congress on another, would reject a crucial check at the
nerve center of the separation of powers. They scarcely
contemplated that their wise precautions must crumble when
Congress dons its 'judicial" hat, that then Congress would
be free to shake the other branches to their very founda-
tions. Before we swallow such consequences, the intention
D of the Framers to insulate congressional transgressions of
the "limits" they imposed upon impeachment should be
proved, not casually assumed. The Constitution, said the
Supreme Court, condemns "all arlJitrary exercise of power;"
'there is no place in our constitutional system for the
E exercise of arbitrary power." The ''sole power to try" affords
no more exemption from that doctrine than does the sole
power to legislate, which, it needs no citation, does not
extend to arbitrary acts.

F Finally, if it be assumed that the "sole power to try''
conferred insulation from review, it must yield to the
subsequent Fifth Amendment provision that "no person"
shall "be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due
process of law." If the Constitution does in fact place limits
upon the power of impeachment, action beyond those
G limits is without 11 due process of law11 in its primal sense:
"when the great barons of England wrung from King John
... the concession that neither their lives nor their property
should be disposed of by the crown, except as provided
by the law of the land, they meant by 'law of the land' the
H ancient and customary laws of the English people." In our
SMT.S.RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 181

system the place of the "ancient and customary laws" was A
taken by the Constitution; and Article VI, S. 2, expressly
makes the Constitution "the supreme Jaw of the land."
Injurious action not authorized by the Constitution is there-
fore contrary to the "law of the land" ana is forbidden by
the due process clause. "Due process" has been
B
epitomized by the Court.as the "protection of the in-
dividual against arbitrary action." One who enters govern-
ment services does not cease to be a "person" within the
Fifth Amendment; and an impeachment for offences out·
side constitutional authorization would deny him the
protection afforded by "due process." It would be passing c
strange to conclude that a citizen mav invoke the judicial
''bulwark" against a twenty-dollar fine but not against an
unconstitutional impeachment, removal from and perpetual
disqualification to hold federal office. Here protection of the
individual coincides with preservation of the separation of
D
powers; and the interests of the assaulted branch, as Judge
George Wythe perceived, are one with the interest of "the
whole community." Those interests counsel us to give full
scope of the "strong American bias in favor of a judicial
detennination of constin1tional and legal issues," and to
deny insulation from review of impeachments in defiance of E
constitutional bounds."
(at pp. 118-121)
(emphasis supplied)

American Bar Association Journal, Vol. 60 (June 1974) contains an F
interesting article "Is fadicial Review of Impeachment Coming'" by Daniel
A. Rezneck, wherein judicial review in the case of an entirely political
process has been discussed. An extract therefrom is as under :

Baker and Powell Opened the Door
G
If powell was entitled to judicial review of the legality
of his exclusion from the House, it is difficult to see why
a president may not seek judicial review in the event of
his impeachment and conviction. Raoul Berger of HlU-
vard, perhaps the country's leading authority on the law H
182 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A of impeachment, concluded in his 1973 book, Impeach-
ment: The Constitutional Problems, that Baker v. Carr and
Powell v. McCormack together open the way for judicial
review of the impeachment process to assure that it con-
forms to constitutional standards." (at p. 681)

B The effect of Powell is also considered in Texas Law Review, Vol.
68, Number 1, November 1989, at p. 97 under heading 'Judicial Review of
Impeachments'. A useful extract therefrom is as under :

"The Supreme Court's decision in Powell v. McCormick
c also indicates that there may be judicial review of any
aspects of an impeachment procee_ding" In Powell, the
Supreme Court held that whether the House of Repre-
sentatives followed the proper procedure in excluding
Adam Clayton Powell from taking his seat in the House
was not a political question. The Powell Court also held
D that although Congress has the dual powers to expel and
to exclude its members, Congress is not empowered to
apply expulsion standards in proceedings to exclude a
representative.

E The lesson of Powe// is that the Supreme Court may
use judicial review to determine whether Congress followed
the proper procedure for making the political decision com-
mitted to it by the Constitution. ...... Also, under Powell the
federal courts may decide whether Congress has chosen the
comet procedure to accomplish its asserted purposes. ..... "
F
(at pp. 99-100)
(emphasis supplied)

In S.P. Gupta v. Union of India, [1981] Supp. SCC 87 Venkataramiah,
G J. as he then was, after stating that 'the doctrine of political question which
was holding the field long time back in the United States of America has
now been exploded', referred to the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court
in Baker v. Carr, 369 US 186 : 7 L. Ed. 2d 663 (1962) and Powell v.
McCormack, 395 Us 486 : 23 L. Ed. 2d 491 (1969) as well as the opinion
H of R. Berger and' then summarised the position in India as under :
SMT. S. RAMASW AMI v. U .0.1. [VERMA, J. J 183

n1n our country which is governed by a written Con· A
stitution also many questions which appear to have a
purely political colour are bound to assume the character
of judicial questions. In the State of Rajasthan v. Union of
India [1978] 1 SCR 1, the Government's claim that the
validity of the decision of the President under Article
365(1) of the Constitution being political in character was
B
not justifiable on that sole ground was rejected by this
Court. Bhagwati, J. in the course of his judgment observed
in that case at SCR pages 80- 81 thus : (SCC p. 661, para
149}

It will, therefore, be seen that merely because a ques-
c
tion has a political colour, the Court cannot fold its hands
in despair and declare "Judicial hands off'. So long as a
question arises whether an authority under the Constitu-
tion has acted within the limits of its power or exceeded
it, it can certainly he decided hy the Court. Indeed it would D
be its constitutional obligation to do so. It is necessary to
assert in the clearest terms, particularly in the context of
recent history, that the Constitution is suprema lex, the
paramount law of the land, and there is no department or
branch of govermnent above or beyond it. Every organ of E
government, be it the executive or the legislature or the
judiciary, derives its authority from the Constitution and
it has to act within the limits of its authority. No one
howsoever highly placed and no authority howsoever lofty
can claim that it shall be the sole judge of the extent of
its power under the Constitution or whether its action is F
within the confines of such power laid down by the Con-
stitution. This Court is the ultimate interpreter of the
Constitution and to this Court is assigned the delicate task
of determining what is the power conferred on each
branch of government, whether it is limited, and if so, what G
are the limits and whether any action of that branch trans-
gresses such limits. It is for this Coun to uphold the con-
stitutional values and to enforce the constitutional
limitations. That is the essence of the rule of law.
H
184 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A The objection that the questions involved in thse peti-
tions are non-justiciable merely on the ground that they
are political in character has to be negatived. But it is
made clear that the courts are not entitled to enquire into
every sort of question without any limitation. There is still
a certain class of questions such as international relations,
B
national security which cannot be entertained by the
Court. It is for the Court to detennine in each case whether
a particular question should be debated before it or not."
(paras 997 & 998 at pp. 776-777)

c (emphasis supplied)

The above discussion indicates the modern trend to accept judicial
review in certain situations within circumscribed limits even where the
entire process is political since the 'political quesiton doctrine', as dis-
cussed in Powell, permits this course. In such cases where the entire
D process is political, judicial review to the extent permissible on conclusion
of the political process is not doubted. There appears to be no reason in
principle why judicial review at the end of the entire process of removal of
a Judge in India, where it is a composite process of which the political
process is only a part, can be excluded after conclusion of the entire
E process including the political process. It appears to us that the view we
have taken is reinforced by the law in other systems as indicated above.

At the commencement of the hearing of this petition, the learned
Attorney General made the statement that the Speaker would await the
declaration of law made in our decision and .abide by it. A statement to
F this effect was also made by Shri F.S. Narirnan on behalf of the Inquiry
Committee. Consistent with the statement made by the learned Attorney
General, the Hon'ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha also extended the time for
submission of the report by the Committee, to give us reasonable time to
prepare our opinion after conclusion of the hearing. This augurs well for
G the future.

Willis in Constitutional Law of the United States.(1936) making 'final
evaluation of the work of the Supreme Court' speaks about the U.S.
Supreme Court thus :

H ".... Without the active co-operation of justices of the
SMT.S.RAMASWAMiv. U.0.1. [VERMA,J.] 185

Supreme Court, the Constitution would be a dead letter. A
They protect alike their own powers, executive powers,
and legislative powers against encroachments and designs
of the other departments ....... It does not have the positive
power over the purse nor over the sword, nor any other
powers which could actually overthrow our government,
but the negative power of declaring the law, - which has kept
B
our whole mighty fabric of government from rushing to
destruction.

The Court has not been infallible. It has made mis-
takes. It sometimes has run counter to the deliberate and c
better judgment of the community. But the final judgement
of the American people will unquestionably be that their
constitutional rights are safe in the hands of the federal
judiciary. Throughout the whole history of the United
States, it furnishes the highest example of adeqnate results
of any branch of our government. It has averted many a D
storm which was threatening our peace and has lent its
powerful aid in uniting the whole country in the bonds of
justice. To paraphrase the language of William Wirt, "if
the judiciary were struck from our system" there would be
little of value that would remain. The government cannot E
exist without it. "It would be as rational to talk of a solar
system without a sun" as to talk of a government in the
United States without the doctrine of the supremacy of the
Supreme Court."
(at pp. 114-115)
F
(emphasis supplied)

The role of the Supreme Court of India is no less significant or wide
as envisaged in the Constitution which came to be enacted after the role
of the U.S. Supreme Court in a comparable constitutional scheme had G
come to be so understood and appreciated.

In this context, it is also useful to recall the observations of R.S. Pathak,
C.J., spealcing for the Constitution Bench in Union of India and Another v.
Raghubir Singh (Dead) by Lrs. etc., [1989] 2 SCC-754 about the nature and
scope of judicial review in India. The learned Chief Justice stated thus:· H
186 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A It used to be disputed that Judges make law.
Today, it is no longer a matter of doubt that a substantial
volume of the law governing the lives of citizens and
regulating the functions of the State flows from the
decisions of the superior courts. 11There was a time," ob-
served Lord Reid, "When it was thought almost indecent
B to suggest that Judges make law - they only declare it .....
11
But we do not believe in fairy tales any more In countries
•

such. as the United Kingdom, where Parliament as· the
legislative organ is supreme and stands at the apex of the
constitutional structure of the State, the role played by
c Judicial law-making is limited ......

xxx xxx xxx

And ungoed Thomas J, in Cheney v. Conn referred to
a Parliamentary statute as "the highest form of law ....
D
which prevails over every other form of law". The position
is substantially different under a written Constitution such
as the one which governs us. The Constitution of India,
which represents the Supreme Law of the land, envisages
three distinct organs of the State, each with its own dis-
E tinctive functions, each a piilar of the State ...... The range
of judicial review recognised in the superior judiciary of
India is perhaps the widest and the most extensive known
to the world of law. .. ... With this impressive expanse of
judicial power, it is only right that the superior cowts in
F India should be conscious of the enonnous responsibility
which rest on them. This is specially true of the Supreme
Court, for as the highest Court in the entire judicial system
the law declared by it !s, by Article 141 of the Constitution,
binding on all courts within the territory of India." (para
7 at pp. 765-766)
G
"....... This need for adapting the law to new urges in
society brings home the truth of the Holmesian aphorism
that "the life of the law has not been logic it has been
experience", and again when he declared in another study
H that "the law is forever adopting new principles from life
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI 1•. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 187

at one end", and "sloughing off' old ones at the other. A
Explaining the conceptual import of what Holmes had
said, Julius Stone elaborated that it is by the introduction
of new extra-legal propositions emerging from experience
to serve as premises, qr by experience-guided choice be-
tween competing legal propositions, rather than by the
B
operation of logic upon existing legal. propositions, that
the growth of law tends to be determined.

Legal compulsions cannot be limited by existing legal
propositions, because there will always be, beyond the
frontiers of the existing law, new areas inviting judicial c
scrutiny and judicial choice-making which could well af-
fect the validity of existing legal dogma. The search for
solutions responsive to a changed social era involves :l
search not only among competing propositions of law, or
competing versions of a legal proposition, or the modalities
of an indeterminancy such as 11 fairness!! or nreasonable- D
ness", but also among propositions from outside the ruling
law, corresponding to the empirical knowledge or ac-
cepted values of present time and place, relevant to the
dispensing of justice within the new parameters."
E
(paras 10 and 11 at pp. 766-767)

(emphasis supplied)

It ·is this onerous constitutional obligation which we have attempted to
discharge keeping in view the limitations within which the exercise has to
F
be performed.

We have already indicated the constitutional scheme in India and the
true import of clauses (4) and (5) of Article 124 read with the law enacted
under Article 124(5), namely; the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 and the
Judges (Inquiry) Rules, 1969, which, inter alia contemplate the provision G
for an opportunity to the concerned Judge to show cause against the
finding of 'guilty' in the report before the Parliament takes it up for
consideration along with the motion for his removal. Along with the
decision in Keshav Singh has to be read the declaration made in Sub-Com-
mittee on Judicial Accountability that 'a icw made under Article 124(5} will H
188 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A override the rules made under Article 118 and shall be binding on both the
Houses of Parliament. A violation of such a law would constitute illegality
and could not be immune from judicial scrutiny under Article 122(1)'. The
scope of permissible challenge by the concerned Judge to the order of
removal made by the President under Article 124(4) in the judicial review
B available after making of the order of removal by the President will be
determined on these considerations. This question in the context of the
process and progress of the statutory inquiry prior to recording of the
findings in the report of the Inquiry Committee does not arise in this case
and has not been raised at the instance of the concerned Judge even in the
C connected matter, W.P. (C) No. 149 of 1992 Shri Krishna Swami v. Union
of India & Ors., which was filed ealier and, therefore, we express no opinion
on the scope of judicial review during the progress of inquiry prior to its
conclusion. The reasons for declining to consider those questions at the
instance of a third person in the absence of the concerned Judge facing
the inquiry are given by us in the separate judgment delivered by us in that
D matter.

In sum, the position is this : Every Judge of the Supreme Court and
the High Courts on his appointment is irremovable from office during his
tenure except in the manner provided in clauses (4) and (5) of Article 124
E of the Constitution of India. The law made by the Parliament under Article
124(5), namely, the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 and the Judges (Inquiry)
Rules, 1969 framed thereunder, is to be read along with Article 124(4) to
find out the constitutional scheme adopted in India for the removal of a
Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court. The law so enacted under
Article 124(5) provides that any accusation made against a sitting Judge to
F enable initiation of the process of his removal from office has to .be only
by not less than the minimum number of Members of Parliament specified
in the Act, all other methods being excluded. On initiation of the process
in the prescribed manner, the Speaker/Chairman is to decade whether the
accusation requires investigation. If he chooses not to act on the accusation
G made in the form of motion by the specified minimum number of Members
of Parliament, the matter ends there. On the other hand, if the
Speaker/Chairman, on a consideration of the materials available and after
consulting such person as he thinks fit, forms the opinion that a prima facie
case for investigation into the accusation against the Judge is made out, he
constitutes a Committee of judicial functionaries in accordance with Sec-
H
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [VERMA, J.] 189

tion 3(2) of tbi: Act. If the Inquiry Committee at the conclusion of the A
investigation m-~de by it records a finding that the Judge is 'not guilty', the
process ends with no one, not even the Parliament, being empowered to
consider much less question the finding of 'not guilty' recorded ·by the
Inquiry Committee. If the finding made by the ·Inquiry Committee is that
the Judge is 'guilty', then the Parliament considers the motion for removal B
of the Judge along with the Committee's report an.d other available
materials including the cause, if any, shown by the concerned Judge against
his removal for which he has to be given an opportunity after submission
of the report to the Speaker/Chairman under Section 4(2) of the Act. To
be effective, this opportunity must include supply of a copy of the report
to the concerned Judge by the Speaker/Chairman while causing it to be C
laid before the Parliament under Section 4(3). If the Parliament does not
adopt the motion for removal of the Judge, the process ends there with no
challenge available to any one. If the motion for removal of the Judge is
adopted by the requisite majority by the Parliament culminating in the
order of removal by the President of India under Article 124(4) of the D
Constitution, then only the concerned Judge would have the remedy of
judicial review available on the permissible grounds against the order of
removal. The statutory part of the process, by which a finding of guilty is
made by the l'lquiry Committee, is subject to judicial review as held in
Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability, but in the manner indicated
herein, that is, only in the event of an order of removal being made and E
then at the instance of the aggrieved Judge alone. The Inquiry Committee
is statutory in character but is not a tribunal for the purpose .of Article 136
of the Constitution.

The view we have taken is in complete accord with the majority F
opinion in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability that the Statutory part
of the process of removal of a Judge is subject to judicial review. The
question of the stage and the situation in which the remedy of judicial
review becomes available and by whom it can be availed did not arise for
consideration in the earlier case and, therefore, this further question which
now arises before us was not dealt with therein. The real controversy in G
the earlier decision was whether the entire process of removal of a Judge
in our constitutional scheme is parliamentary to attract the doctrine of
lapse to the motion for removal of the learned Judge on dissolution of the
Ninth Lok Sabha or a part thereof was statutory to which the. doctrine of
lapse of motions in the Parliament could have no application. It was in this H
190 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A context that the majority in that decision took the view that the process was
statutory till the Parliament takes up the motion for consideration on a
finding o( 'guilty' being made by the Inquiry Committee in its report which
is submitted to the Parliament; and the Ninth Lok Sabha having been
dissolved before commencement of the parliamentary process, there was
no question of the motion lapsing at that stage which was statutory.
B
On a careful reading of the earlier decision in Sub-Committee on
Judicial Accountability, we are unable to accept the submission that the only
logical corollary of the earlier decision is that the concerned Judge has a
right to obtain a copy of the report of the Inquiry Committee before
C commencement of the parliamentary process to enable him at this stage to
avail the remedy of judicial review in case the committee has recorded a
finding of 'guilty' against the learned Judge. We have adequately indicated
how the rights of the learned Judge are fully protected on the construction
we have made of the relevant provisions and the manner in which we have
D read the constitutional scheme adopted in India for the removal of a
superior Judge in accordance with clauses (4) and (5) of Article 124.

We have no doubt that every constitutional functionary and authority
involved in the process is as much concerned as we are to find out the true
meaning and import of the scheme envisaged by the relevant constituiional
E and statutory provisions, in order to prevent any failure by any one to
discharge the constitutional obligations avoiding transgression of the limits
of the demarcated powers. No doubt, there are certain grey areas. We have
attempted to illuminate them With the able assistance of the learned
counsel who are equally concerned that the law should be unambiguously
F and correctly stated to avoid any possible misapplication thereof. All that
is necessary for us to do is to declare the correct constitutional position as
we are able to discern, there being no need to issue any specific writ or
direction to any authority and .to 'leave the different organs of the State to
consider matters falling within the orbit of their respective jurisdiction and
G powers' as was done in the earlier case. We do so, accordingly, herein.

Brother Kasliwal expressly says in his separate opinion that he fully
agrees with us. Brother K. Ramaswamy, however, appears to have differed
in some area. On a reconsideration of the matter in the light of the
exposition of law made by Brother K. Ramaswamy in his separate opinion
H circulated to u~. we find that to a large extent he agrees with us, but in the
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [KASLIMAL,J.] 191

area of his disagreement, we regret our inability to concur with him. A

Consequently, for the aforesaid reasons, this Writ Petition is dis-
posed of by declaring the law as contained in the judgment.

KASLIWAL, J. I have gone through the judgment prepared by my
learned brothers Justice J.S. Verma and Justice K. Ramaswamy. I fully B
agree with the judgment prepared by Justice J.S. Verma and regret my
inability to agree with the view taken by Justice K. Ramaswamy. However,
looking to the questions raised being of seminal importance, I would like
to express my own views also in the matter.
c
The petition has been filed by the wife of Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami,
a sitting Judge of this Court. I need not recapitulate the facts of this case
which have already been stated in detail in the judgment prepared by my
learned brothers. The short controversy raised in the petition now relates
to an issue of a Writ of Mandamus directing the Committee apppointed D
under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Act')
to forward a copy of the report as and when prepared, to Justice V.
Ramaswami. It has been also prayed that a direction be also given to the
Committee to withhold the forwarding of the report to the Hon'ble Speaker
of the Lok Sabha simultaneously, so that Justice V. Ramaswami may get
reasonable time to initiate appropriate proceedings, in the event he wishes E
to challenge all or any part of the said report.

The above relief has been sought mainly on two grounds:

(1) That a Constitution Bench of this Court in its judgment in F
Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability v. Union of India & Ors., [1991]
4 SCC 699 has already held that the proceedings before the Committee
from its inception till the time the report of the Committee is placed before
Parliament are deemed to be proceedings outside Parliament and this part
being statutory can be subjected to judicial review.
G
(2) If a copy of the report is not given to Justice V. Ramaswami
before such report is forwarded to the Hon'ble Speaker for the purpose of
taking out appropriate proceedings, it would not only defeat the Constitu-
tional right of Justice V. Ramaswami, but would also violate principles of
natural justice. H
192 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A It may be noted at the inception that the petitioner h<:s not chal-
lenged. The Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 or the The Judges (Inquiry) Rules,
1969 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Rules') framed in exercise of the
powers conferred by sub-section 4 of Section 7 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act,
1968. We have thus, to consider the scheme of the provisions of the Act
and the Rules as well as the provisions of the Constitution, in order to
B decide whether the relief sought by the petitioner can be given or not.
Though, the Act deals with the procedure for the investigation and proof
of misbehaviour or incapacity of a Judge, but in the present case we are
only concerned with the investigation and proof of misbehaviour and not
with the incapacity of the Judge to discharge his duties efficiently due to
c any physical or mental incapacity. Section 3 of the Act provides for
investigation into misbehaviour and for that purpose it is necessary that a
notice for such motion has to be given by not less than hundred members
of the House of the People in case of such notice given in the House of
the People and not less than fifty members in the case of a notice given in
D the Council of States. The Speaker or the Chairman, as the case may be,
after consulting such persons, if any, as he thinks fit and after considering
such materials, if any, as may be available to him, either admit the motion
or refuse to admit the same. If such motion is admitted, then the motion
shall be kept pending and a Committee consisting of the following three
members shall be constituted for making investigation into the grounds on
E which the removal of a Judge is prayed. This Committee shall consist of
the following three members of whom :-

(a) one shaJ: be chosen from among the Chief Justice and other Judges of
the Supreme Court;

F (b) one shall be chosen from among the Chief Justice of the High Courts;
and

(c) one shall be a person who is, in the opinion of the Speaker or, as the
case may be, the Chairman, a distinguished jurist.
G The Committee under sub-section (3) of Section 3 is required to
fran.c definite charges against the Judge on the basis of which the inves-
~ ..
tigation is proposed to be held and under sub-section. (4) of Section 3, such
charges together with a statement of the grounds on which each such
charge is based shall be communicated to the Judge and he shall be given
H a reasonable opportunity of presenting a written statement of defence
SMT.S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [KASL!WAL,J.] 193

within such time as may be specified in this behalf by the Committee. Then A
under sub-section (8) of Section 3, the Committee may, after considering
the written statement of the !udge, if any, amend the charges framed under
sub-section (3) and in such a case, the Judge shall be given a reasonable
opportunity of presenting a fresh written statement of defence. Under
sub-section (9) of Section 3, the Central Government may, appoint an
advocate to conduct the case against the Judge, if required by the Speaker
B
or the Chairman or both as the case may be. Under Section 4 of the Act,
the Committee has been given power to regulate its own procedure in
making the investigation subject to any rules. This also provides of giving
reasonable opportunity to the Judge of cross-examining witnesses, adduc-
ing evidence and of being heard in his defence. Sub-section (2) of Section c
4 with which we are directly concerned reads as under:-

"At the conclusion of the investigation, the Committee
shall submit its report to the Speaker or, as the case may
be, to the Chairman, or where the Committee has been
D
constituted jointly by the Speaker and the Chairman, to
both of them, stating therein its findings on each of the
charges separately with such observations on the whole
case as it thinks fit."

Thereafter under sub-section 3 of Section 4 of the Act, the Speaker E
or the Chairman, or, where the Committee has been constituted jointly by
the Speaker and the Chairman, both of them, shall cause the report to be
laid as soon as may be, respectively before the House of the People and
the Council of States. Section 5 provides for the powers of the Committee,
like a Civil Court and has been authorised to summon and enforce the F
attendance of any person and examining him on oath, requiring the dis-
covery and production of documents, receiving evidence on oath, issuing
commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents and such other
matters as may be prescribed. Then comes Section 6 which has important
bearing on the issue raised before us and as such is reprnduced as under:-
G
"6. (1) If the report of the Committee contains a finding
that the Judge is not guilty of any misbehaviour or does
not suffer from any incapacity, then, no further steps shall
be taken in either House of Parliament in relation to the
report and the motion pending in the House or the Houses H
194 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A of Parliament shall not be proceeded with.

(2) If the report of the Committee contains a finding that
the Judge is guilty of any misbehaviour or suffers from any
incapacity, then, the motion referred to in sub-section (1)
of Section 3 shall, together with the report of the Com-
B mittee, be taken up for consideration by the House or the
Houses of Parliament in which it is pending.

(3) If the motion is adopted by each House of Parliament
in accordance with the provisions of danse (4) of Article
124 or, as the case may be, in accordance with that clause
c read with Article 218 of the Constitution, then, the mis-
'
behaviour or incapcity of the Judge ;hall be deemed to
have been proved and an address praying for the removal
of the Jupge shall be presented in the prescribed manner
to the President by each House of Parliament in the same
D session in which the motion has been adopted."

Section 7 provides for the power to make rules. We would now consider
the provisions of the Rules which are relevant and necessary for deciding
the controversy raised before us. Rule 5 provides for the manner in which
E the charges framed against the Judge shall be served on him. Under Rule
6 when the Judge appears, he may object in writing to the sufficiency of
the charges framed against him and if the objection is sustained by the
majority of the members of the Inquiry Committee, the Inquiry Committee
may amend the charges and gives the Judge a reasonable opportunity of
presenting a fresh written statement of defence. Under Rule 7, if the Judge
F denies that he is guilty of the misbehaviour or if he refuses, or omits, or is
unable, the plead or desires that the inquiry should be made, the Inquiry
Committee shall proceed with the inquiry. Rule 8 permits the Inquiry
Committee to proceed with the inquiry in the absence of the Judge, if the
Judge does not appear after scrVlce of notice on him. Rule 9 deals with
G the report of the Inquiry Committee and this Rule being relevant and
necessary for deciding the controversy is reproduced as under :

"9. Report of Inquiry Committee. - (1) Where the mem-
bers of the Inquiry Committee are not unanimous, the
report submitted by the Inquiry Committee under Section
H 4 shall be in accordance with the findings of the majority
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.O.I. [KASL!WAL J.] 195

of the members thereof. A
(2) The presiding officer of the Inquiry Committee shall-

(a) cause its report to be prepared in duplicate,

(b) authenticate each copy of the report by putting his B
signature thereon, and

( c) forward, within a period of three months from the date
on which a copy of the charges framed under sub-section
(3) of Section 3 is served upon the Judge, or, where no
such service is made from the date of publication of the
c
notice referred to in sub-rule (3) of rule 5, the authenti-
cated copies of the report to the Speaker or Chairman by
whom the Committee was constituted, or where the Com-
mittee was constituted jointly by them, to both of them:
D
Provided that the Speaker or Chairman, or both of them
(where the Committee was constituted jointly by them),
may, for sufficient cause, extend the time within which the
Inquiry Committee shall submit its report.

(3) A copy of the report of the Inquiry Committee, authen-
E
ticated in the manner specified in sub-rule (2), shall be
laid before each House of Parliament.

( 4) Where the majority of the members of the Inquiry
Committee makes a finding to the effect that the Judge is F
guilty of a misbehaviour or that he suffers from an in-
capacity, but the third member thereof makes a finding to
the contrary, the presiding officer of the Inquiry Commit-
tee shall authenticate, in the manner specified in sub-rule
(2), the finding made by such third member, in duplicate
and shall forward the same along with the report sub-
G
mitted by him under Section 4.

(5) An authenticated copy of the finding made by third
member, referred to in sub-rule (4) shall also be laid
before each House of Parliament. H
196 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 11992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A (6) Where the majority of the members of the Inquiry
Committee makes a finding to the effect that the Judge is
not guilty of any misbehaviour or that he does not suffer
from any incapacity, and the third member thereof makes
a finding to the contrary, the Inquiry Committee shall not
disclose the finding made by such third member to Par-
B liament or to any other authority, body or person."

Rule 10 provides for recording of evidence according to the
provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure so far as may be applicable to
the examination of any witness by the Committee. A copy of the evidence,
C oral and documentary, received by the Committee shall be laid before each
House of Parliament along with the report laid before it under Section 4
of the Act. Sub-rule (1) of Rule 11 provides for allowing the Judge a right
to consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his choice. Apart
from the provisions of the Act and the Rules, it has been provided in clause
D 4 of the Article 124 of the Constitution that a Judge of the Supreme Court
shall not be removed from his office except by an order of the President
passed after an address by each House of Parliament supported by a
majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not
less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting has
been presented to the President in the same session for such removal on
E the grounds of proved misbehaviour.

In pursuance to the above provisions 108 members of the House of
the People had given a notice of motion which was admitted by the Speaker
on 12.3.1991 and a Committee was constituted of the following three
F persons (1) Hon'ble Mr. Justice P.B. Sawant, a sitting Judge of this Court
(2) Hon'ble Mr. Justice P.O. Desai, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court
and (3) Hon'ble Mr. Justice 0. Chinnappa Reddy, a retired Judge of this
Court in the category of a distinguished jurist. The Lok Sabha was dis-
solved on 13.3.1991. The Union Government after the fresh elections of the
Lok Sabha refused to act in aid of the decision taken by the Speaker of
G the earlier Lok Sabha and as such a Writ Petition was filed by a body called
the Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability. That case was decided on
October 29, 1991 and the majority opinion in that case was that th~ process
for removal of a Judge of the Supreme Court comprises of two stages. The
first stage is of investigation and proof in aceordance with The Judge
H (Inquiry) Act, 1968 enacted under Article 124(5) of the Constitution by the
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [KASLIWAL,J.] 197

Committee constituted by the Speaker acting as a statutory authority under A
the Act and the second stage commences after allegations of misbehaviour
are found proved. In the second stage when rr.otion is moved, bar under
Article 121 on discussion in Parliament in respect of the conduct of the
Judge is lifted and the process envisaged under Article 124(4) is attracted.
The first stage is subject to judicial review, but the second stage is not
subject to judicial review as the process involved being parliamentary
B
process.

The Inquiry report in the present case has been stated to be complete
and awaits the decision of this Court in the present case. A perusal of the
provisions of the Act and the Rules mentioned above shows that the c
process as a whole is an amalgam of statutory process as well as parliamen-
tary process. There are number of checks and safeguards kept in the
process where the matter relates to the misbehaviour of a sitting Judge of
the Supreme Court and the High Courts who are high constitutional
functionaries. The Parliament while enacting The Judges (Inquiry) Act, D
1968 long after 18 years of the coming into force of the Constitution was
fully conscious regarding the consideration of any allegation of mis-
behaviour imputed against a Judge of the Supreme Court or of a High
Court. It may be noted that Article 121 of the Constitution was a clear bar
for any discussion in Parliament with respect to the conduct of any Judge
of the Supreme Court or of the High Court in the discharge of his duties E
except upon a motion for presenting an address to the President praying
for the removal of the Judge. The framers of the Constitution under clause
5 of Article 124 of the Constitution gave an authority to the Parliament to
make any law for regulating the procedure for the presentation of an
address and for the investigation and proof of the misbehaviour or in- F
capacity of a Judge under clause (4). The framers of the Constitution
themselves laid down in clause 4 of Article 124 of the Constitution that a
Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be removed from his office except
by an order of the President passed after an address by each House of
Parliament supported by a majority of total membership of that House and
also by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House G
present and voting. In case of the consideration of a motion for the removal
of the Judge on the ground of proved misbehaviour, the above provision
shows that the framers of the Constitution themselves keeping in view the
independence of the judiciary and the Judges of the High Courts and
Supreme Court provided that in case of any charges of misbehaviour the H
198 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Judge shall not be removed from his office except by an order of the
President passed after such motion is supported by not only a majority of
the total membership of the House, but also by a majority of not less than
two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting and to be
presented to the President in the same session. The Parliament while
enacting The Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 in respect of constituting a Com-
B
mittee for the investigation and proof of any allegations of misbehaviour
provided for constitution of a Committee consisting of only persons belong-
ing to the judiciary. Not only that the members of the Committee consisted
of - one, to be chosen from among the Chief Justice of India and other
Judges of the Supreme Court, second one, to be chosen from among the
c Chief Justices of the High Courts and the third one a distinguished jurist.
The matter of investigation as such wao entrusted to a high judicial
authority consisting of a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court, a Chief Justice
of the High Court and a distinguished jurist. This shows that the intention
of the Parliament was to maintain the dignity and independence of the
D judiciary and as such the investigation in respect of the misbehaviour of a
sitting Judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court was entrusted to a
wholly judicial body consisting of judicially trained persons and no inter-
ference of any kind has been allowed or given to any executive authority
or to any person outside the judiciary. Not only that, a combined reading
E of all the relevant provision of the Constitution, the Act and the Rules
clearly show that where an Inquiry Committee unanimously or by majority
records a finding of not guilty of the charges levelled against the Judge, the
matter ends and no further discussion on the motion is required in the
Parliament. It is further important to note that sub-rule (6) of Rule 9
further provides that where the majority of the members of the Inquiry
F Committee makes a finding to the effect that the Judge is not guilty of any
misbehaviour and the third member thereof makes a finding to the con-
trary, the Inquiry Committee shall not disclose the finding made by such
third member to Parliament or to any other authority, body or person. This
provision clearly indicates the respect, dignity and maintenance of the
G independence of the judiciary and not to disclose to any authority, body or
person including the Parliament, the contrary fmding of the guilty· made by
the third member and thus to maintain the prestige of the Judge concerned
intact. The Parliament under the above scheme is entitled to take up the
motion for consideration only when it receives a report with the finding of
H guilty recorded by a majority or unanimous opinion of the members of the
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [KASLIWAL, J.] 199

Committee. It may be further noted that in such kind of case where out of A
the three members of the Committee, if two members record a finding a
guilty while the third member gives a finding of not guilty, then in that case,
both the findings are required to be submitted on the floor of the House
so that at the time of consideration of the motion both views may be
available for consideration before taking any final decision on the motion.
B
In the background of the abvoe scheme of the law we have to
consider whether this Court can give any direction for the supply of the
report of the Committee to the concerned Judge for the purpose of giving
sufficient time so that the Judge may decide to take further action or not
by way of challenging the report by judicial review. Both the reliefs as c
prayed are intermixed and according to the petitioner and rightly so one
without the other is of no use. Admittedly, there is no provision in the Act
or the Rules for the supply of such copy to the concerned Judge by the
Inquiry Committee before sending such report to the Speaker for laying
down the report before the Parliament. D

The argument of Mr. Sibal, Learned Senior Counsel appearing on
behalf of the petitioner. is that this Court in the case Sub-Committee on
Judicial Accountability (supra) has held that the admission of motion by the
Speaker and constitution of the Committee are statutory functions of the E
Speaker outside parliamentary process. Till the report is received by the
Parliament and the motion is taken for consideration the matter is outside
the Parliamentary process and any action till such stage being outside
Parliamentary process is amenable to judicial review. It has been submitted
that the learned Judge is entitled to question the adverse findings of F
misbehaviour, if any, recorded by the Committee and this can be done only
when the copy of the report is given to the learned Judge and thereafter
reasonable time is given for availing the right of challenging the same by
judicial review. It has also been contended that there is no provision in the
Act and the Rules for the Speaker to supply a copy of the report to the
learned Judge. Once a report is placed on the floor of each House of G
Parliament, it is exclusively within the domain of the Parliament and it
cannot be predicated as to what procedure the Parliament may adopt
regarding the consideration of the motion. This valuable right cannot be
taken away nor rendered nugatory by interpretative process which would
violate the principles of natural justice. H
200 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Mr. G. Ramaswamy, Learned Attorney General contended that the
Committee is in the nature of a subordinate authority to the Speaker. The
report is like granting of sanccion for prosecution of a public servant as
contemplated under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
Unless the validity of the sanction is questioned at the earliest stage the
accused is precluded to assail it at a later stage. On the same analogy the
B learned Judge is entitled to challenge the adverse findings, if any, recorded
in the report by the Committee before the same is taken for consideration
by the Parliament. This can only be done when such report is made
available to the learned Judge for seeking a judicial review. It is not for
this Hon'ble Court to decide as to what procedure Parliament will follow
c for the purpose of voting upon the motion nor can this Court, in any way,
interefere with the Parliamentary process. It is for the Parliament alone to
decide as to how the motion shall be dealt with and in case a copy of the
Inquiry report is not furnished to the learned Judge at this stage for seeking
judicial review, it would be against the basic principle of natural justice not
D to condemn a person unheard.

So far as the propositions of law laid down in Sub-Committee on
Judicial Accountability's case is concerned, I do not consider it necessary
to burden this judgment as it has been considered in great detail in the
judgment by Verma, J. Suffice to say that in the aforesaid case the con-
E troversy raised in the present case was not in issue and the Court in that
case was concerned with the stage of entertaining the motion by the
Speaker for consideration of the House and the fate of such motion upon
the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.

F We shall now deal with the question directly raised in the present
case whether this Court should give a direction to the President of the
Committee to furnish the copy of the report ·to the learned Judge before
sending the same to the Speaker and to make a further direction to
withhold the submission of the report for a reasonable period so that the
learned Judge may get time to avail or not to avail the remedy of challeng-
G ing the adverse findings in the report by way of judicial review. In order to
decide this question it is necessary to consider as to m;1der what principle
of law or authority such relief is sought. Admittedly, there is no provision·
in the Act or Rules for giving the copy of the Inquiry report to the
concerned Judge before sending it to the Speaker. This position is even
H accepted by the learned Counsel appearing for the petitioner. If we ex-
SMT. S. RAMASWAM!v. U.0.1. [KASLIWAL, J.] 201

amine the provisions of the Act and the Rules a contrary conclusion A
emerges to what is prayed by the petititoner. Section 4(2) of the Act clearly
envisages that at the conclusion of the investigation, the Committee shall
submit its report to the Speaker and under sub-section (3) the Speaker
shall cause the report to be laid, as soon as may be before the House of
the People in the present case. Further under Rule 9(2) (c), it is provided B
that the Presiding Officer of the Inquiry Committee shall forward the
report within a period of three months from the date on which a copy of
the charges framed under sub-section (3) of Section 3 is served upon the
Judge, or where no such service is made from the date of publication of
the notice referred to in sub-rule (3) of Rule 5. Under the proviso, the
Speaker is authorised to extend the time for sufficient cause. Thus, the C
intendment of the aforesaid scheme of the provisions is a speedy disposal
of the investigation in public interest and the report is required to be sent
to the Speaker as soon as the investigation is concluded, unbss the case
falls within the ambit of Rule 9(6) in that case the Inquiry Committee shall
not disclose the finding made by such third member -to Parliament or to D
any other authority, body or person.

Now the other aspect to be examined is the violation of any principle
of natural justice, if the copy of the report is not given co the Judge
concerned for seeking a judicial review and this is the main plank of
submission on which the entire edifice is built on behalf of the petitioner. E
So far as, the principle of audi alteram partem that no person can be
condemned unheard, is concernd; in my view is not applicable in the
present case. The right of hearing to the concerned Judge in the pre$ent
scheme of law can only arise before two authorities. One before the. Inquiry
Committee and the other before the Parliament. So far as the right of F
hearing before the Committee is concerned, there is ample opportunity
given in the provisions of the Act and the Rules. The entire investigation
into misbehaviour is done after a notice given to the concerned Judge. The
charges framed together with a statement of the grounds on which each
such charge is based is communicated to the Judge and he is given a
reasonable opportunity of presenting a written statement of defence. The G
Committee after considering the written statement of the Judge may amend
the charges and thereafter the Judge is again given a reasonable oppor-
tunity of presenting a fresh written statement of defence. The Committee
in making the investigation is required to give a reasonable opportunity to
the Judge of cross-examining witne£ses, adducing evidence and of being H
202 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A heard in his <lcfence."The plea of the Judge is recorded. the evidence of
each witness examined by the Inquiry Committee is taken down in writing.
The Judge is also given a right to consult, and to be defended by a legal
practitioner of his choice. Thus, so far as the opportunity of hearing before
the Inquiry Committee is concerned, the above-me11tioned provisions clear-
ly show that full opportunity of hearing is given to the Judge in respect of
B contesting the charges framed against him as well as cross-examining any
witness and leading any evidence in defence.

Now, so far as the opportunity of any hearing to be given to the
concerned Judge by the Parliament, that stage has not reached in the
C present case. It is no doubt correct that Parliament is free to adopt its own
procedure while considering the motion, but that alone cannot be con-
sidered as a ground for seeking judicial review against the report of the
Committee. The question of not giving any opportunity of hearing before
any action is taken against the learned Judge by the Parliament can only
D arise after any decision is taken against the Judge by the Parliament. The
violation of principle of the natural justice, if any, cannot be examined in
isolation, but depends on the facts and circumstances of each case. No
argument based on the violation of principle of natural justice can be
considered on the assumption that the Parliament may adopt a procedure
which may be in violation of principles of natural justice. Learned Attorney
E General at a subsequent stage of the arguments as well as the Counsel for
the Committee were in agreement on this score that the Parliament shall
give an opportunity of hearing to the learned Judge before taking a final
decision on the motion and as a necessary corollary thereof the copy of the
Inquiry report shall be given to the learned Judge by the Parliament. Thus,
F if a direction is being sought for supplying a copy of the report on the
ground of assumed violation of any principle of natural justice by the
Parliament, we find no justification and it would be pre-judging the issue
and predicating a remady without laying any foundation or basis for such
relief.

G It may also be noted that the rules of natural justice are manifested
in the twin principles of nenzo judes in sua caues and audi alteram partem.
\Ve arc not Ci lncerned here with the former since no case of bias has been
urged. The grievance ventilated is that being condemned unheard. The
audi alterani parleni rule has a few facets two of which are (9) notice of
H the case to be met; and (b) opportunity to explain. There is no violation in
SMT.S.RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [KASLIWAL,J.] 203

the present case of anyone of the above two facets of the audi alteram A
partem rule. The violation of principle of natural justice will depend on the
facts and circumstances of the each case and in my view there is nothing
to show that in the present case there is any violation of the principles of
natural justice.

The next limb of this ground of violation of principles of natural
B
justice claimed on behalf of the petitioner is that if the copy of the report
will not be given to the learned judge, then it would defeat his right of
judicial review. I do not find any force in this submission. The right of
judicial review is not a right emerging under any principle of natural justice.
It cannot be equated with the rule of audi alteram partem. The right of C
judicial review is itself a right available only on limited permissible grounds.
The right of seeking a judicial review depends on the facts of each in-
dividual case and will depend on several factors which would be necessary
to be examined before the particular order or action is put under challenge.
There cannot be any demand of judicial review as an abstract proposition D
of law on the premise of violation of any principles of natural justice at this
stage in the scheme of the Act and the Rules. No direction as such can be
sought on the basis that .if the copy of the report is not supplied at this
stage, the learned Judge would be left with no remedy of judicial review at
a later stage. Neither in the Scheme of the Act and the Rules nor under
any provision of the Constitution it has been shown that such right is E
available to the concerned Judge. There is neither any violation of any
principle of natural justice nor violation of any constitutional or statutory
provision in not affording a copy of the Inquiry report before sending the
same to the Speaker. This Court cannot gives any mandamus to any
authority unless it can be shown that such authority is acting in violation
F
of any provisions of the statute or constitutional obligation. Thus, even if
it may be considered that the Committee is performing a statutory function
amenable to the jurisdiction of this Court in judicial review, it must be
shown that it is acting in violation of any rule or law. In the present case
the Inquiry Committee is rather performing its legal duty and fulfilling the
statutory obligation of sending the report to the Speaker and as such no G
mandamus or direction can be given to delay or put any hindrance in such
lawful action on the part of t!Je Committee.

I am not convinced with the submission of the Learned Attorney
General that the Inquiry report in this case can be compared or equated H
204 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A with the sanction given under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Proce-
dure in respect of a public servant. The powers, duties and functions of the
Inquiry Committee constituted under the provisions of the Act and com-
posed of high judicial functionaries which records its finding after giving
an opportunity to the concerned Judge on the basis of the oral and
documentary evidence cannot be compared or equated with the sanction
B accorded by an executive authority in respect of a public servant.

We shall also examine other aspects of the matter having a direct
bearing on the question in issue. So far as any fmding of guilty recorded
by the Committee on the charges is concerned, it is not conclusive and final
C and the Parliament can still hold that the charges levelled against the
concerned Judge did not amount to misbehaviour and may decide not to
adopt the motion. On the other hand, if in the course of judicial review
this Court approves or affirms such findings recorded by the Inquiry
Committee being a decision of this Court shall be binding on the Parlia-
D ment. In that case, it would not be possible for the Parliament to take a
different view and this would be an extra constitutional interference in the
framework of the scheme. In another case during the course of judicial
review this Court may come to the conclusion of quashing the entire
proceedings conducted by the Inquiry Committee and require it to hold a
fresh Inquiry. In that kind of case a problem may arise of the continuation
E of the investigation beyond the period allowed in the Rules and by the
Speaker. It is important to note that the life and existence of the Inquiry
Committee itself is coterminus with the period of 3 months as laid down
in rule 9(2)(c) of the Rules or till the Speaker extends the time for
sufficient cause under the proviso to the aforesaid rule. After this period
F is over, the Committee ceases to function and neither this Court nor any
other Court can extend this period in the exercise of judicial review of the
findings of the Inquiry Committee. The period of 3 months has been fixed
in the statutory rules itself and the Speaker alone has been authorised to
extend such period for sufficient cause. In my humble opinion this court
cannot extend such period nor give any direction to the Speaker to do so,
G and any attempt of remanding the matter for fresh Inquiry or to keep the
matter pending till the concerned Judge decides to challenge the report by
way of judicial review or to keep the matter pending for decision under the
exercise of judicial review beyond the aforesaid period is not permissible
and cannot be done in an indirect manner which cannot be done directly.
H This Court has no power to extend the life of the Inquiry Committee by a
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [KASI.IWAI.,J.] 205

judicial fiat in the teeth of the express provisions of the statutory rules. A

Further, in case a judicial review is permitted at this stage against
the findings recorded by the Committee then in that case even findings of
not guilty recorded by the Committee may also be challenged in Court by
persons who had initiated the motion. It has been contended in this regard B
on behalf of the Learned Counsel for the petitioner that no question of any
challenge to the findings of not guilty recorded by the Committee is
permissible as contemplated under Section 6(1) of the Act according to
which if the report of the Committee contains a finding that the Judge is
not guilty of any misbehaviour then no further steps shall be taken in either
House of Parliament in relation to the report. I find no force in such C
cont~ntion because this will only apply when such fmding of not guilty is
affirmed by the Court in judicial review also. But in case such finding itself
is reversed in judicial review, then the finding of not guilty by the Commit-
tee no longer exists and it would be taken as a finding of guilty recorded
in judicial review. Thus, many problems may arise which cannot be predi-
cated and w'iich may result against the interest of the concerned Judge
.D
himself.

Thus, in the circumstances mentioned above in the scheme of the Act
and the Rules and the Constitution, no direction can be given to the Inquiry
Committee to furnish the report to the Judge for seeking judicial review at E
this stage when the investigation is already complete. So far as the stage
after the conclusion of the proceedings in the Parliament are concerned,
the remedy of judicial review is always available which, of course, will
depend on the facts and circumstances of the case emerging then and
subject to recognised permissible grounds of judicial review. F

The entire constitutional scheme in this matter shows that the Par-
liament had complete confidence in the independence and dignity of
judiciary. The Inquiry has been left to the Inquiry Committee composed of
high judicial functionaries alone. In case of such Committee giving a finding
of not guilty, the same has been considered as final and giving a quietus G
and no further discussion on the motion has been made permissible. It is
only in case of finding of guilty recorded by the Inquiry Committee that
the motion is required to be taken up for further consideration. In this kind
of case in the larger public interest including the independence of the
judiciary itself any delay after the recording of such finding of guilty, if any, H
206 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992J SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A by the Inquiry Committee and to permit such report being challenged by
way of judicial review at this stage would not be proper. The matter after
recording, if any, a finding of guilty against the concerned Judge by the
Inquiry Committee should be left for further consideration by the Parlia-
ment. The Parliament should be left answerable to the public at large for
its future course of action in the matter.
B
Thus, taking in view the entire facts and circumstances of the case,
no direction can be given as prayed by the petitioner and the petition
stands disposed of in terms of the direction gives in the judgment of brother
Verma, J.
c
K. RAMASWAMY, J. Having had the benefit of reading the draft
judgment circulated by my learned brother Verma, J. and given my anxious
consideration, I express my regrets not to sail totally with them but prefer
to sink alone.
D
The petitioner sought a writ of Mandamus or any other writ or
directions to direct Mr. Justice P.B. Sawant Committee, appointed under
sec.3(2) of the Judges (Enquiry) Act 1968 for short 'the Act', to supply a
copy of its report to Hon'ble Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami before its submis-
sion to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. She also sought direction to the said
E committee to withhold forwarding simultaneously the said report to the
Speaker. The facts in nu:-shell are that the Speaker of 9th Lok Sabha
constituted Mr. Justice P.B. Sawant Committee to enquire into the grounds
of the motion prayed for the removal of Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami from
the office as Judge of this court with the allegations that he committed, in
F his administrative capacity as Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High
Court, financial irregularities which constitute misbehaviour within the
meaning of Art. 124(4) of the Constitution of India. Mr. M. Krishna Swami
filed Writ Petition No. 149 of 1992 and questioned the power and jurisdic-
tion of the Speaker to admit the motion, the constitution of the committee
and the procedure i: adapted to investigate into the charges etc. The
G committee on assumption of its office started investigation, the slay of the
proceedings, though sought for, was not granted and the investigation went
on. While we were hearing the writ petition, on May 10, 1992, the learned
Judge addressed a letter to the Presiding Officer of the Committee request-
ing to supply him a copy of its report before it was forwarded to the
H Speaker and also requested to withhold the same by giving reasonable time
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.O.l. [K. RAMASWAMY ..J.J 207

to peruse and to take appropriate action thereon. An application for the A
same relief was also made in Writ petition No. 149 of 1992. This Bench
was given to understand that the Committee would submit the report to
the Hon'ble Speaker on or before July 31, 1992, the extended date. During
summer vacation the petitioner filed the writ petition for the aforesaid
reliefs which was posted along with writ petition No. 149 of the 1992. On
enquiry by this Bench whether the learned Judge would agree to abide by
B
the decision that may be given in this case, Mr. Kapil Sibal, the learned
senior counsel for the petitioner, on instruction, stated to the positive. He
placed on record the letter he addressed and the endorsement thereon by
the learned Judge.
c
He agrued that in Sub-Committee on Judicial Accountability v. Union
of India & Ors., [1991] 2 SCR 741 for short 'SCJA' case, this Court held
that the admission of the motion by the Speaker and constitution of the
committee are statutory functions of the Speaker outside Parliamentary
process. Till the report was placed on the floor of each House of the D
Parliament, the Speaker has possession of the report and power to with-
hold. So the Committee too. If it finds on investigation that the misconduct
has not been proved, there ends the matter and need to take further
political process is obviated. If it finds that the misconduct has been
proved, the Parliamentary process to remove the Judge gets revived on
placing the report and the evidence on the floor nf each House of Parlia- E
ment and the address started. The investigation is judicious blend of
political and judicial process. The admission of the motion, constitution of
t],, committee and submission of the report by the committee to the
Speaker are outside Parliamentary processes and amenable to judicial
review. The learned Judge is entitled to question the adverse finding of F
misbehaviour and so is entitled to the supply of a copy of the report before
it is actually submitted to the Speaker. When the learned Judge has a right
and is entitled to judicial review, to question the correctness of the finding
of proved misbehaviour he has right to move this court under Art. 32 or
Art. 136 or the High Court under Art. 226. Without supply of the copy of
· the report he cannot adequately plead and prove its incorrectness to quash G
the same. Accordingly it is his contention that the supply of the repori and
grant of reasonable time are essential postulates sequal to avail judicial
review. Accordingly the learned Judge is entitled to the copy of the report
thereof. In support thereof he stated that the Parliamentary process com-
mences only when the Speaker moves the motion as annexure in the House H
208 SUPREMECOURTREPORTS [1992JSUPP.1S.C.R.

A along with the address to be presented to the President for the removal of
the Judge. Until then the Speaker remains a statutory authority, there is
no express provision either in the act or the Judges Enquiry Rules 1969 for
short 'the Rules' or in the Constitution to provide the learned Judge with
an opportunity of representation and hearing on the floor of both the
B Houses of Parliament. We cannt predicate as to what procedure the
Parliament may adapt in its address and it is also immune from judicial
review. By necessary implication, the learned Judge when he has right to
review must have remedy to challenge the adverse report in a judicial
process and supply of the copy of the report is a must. There is also no
provision in the Act and Rules for the Speaker to supply a copy of the
C report to the learned Judge. Once a report is placed on the floor of each
House of the Parliament it is exclusively within the domain of the Parlia-
ment and the Judge loses his right to judicial review. The Parliament may
choose to give a copy of the report or constitute a sub committee to analyse
the report or may proceed with the address without any oppoutunity to the
D learned Judge. As a corollary to the judgment of this court in SCJA's case,
the report of the committee with its finding must be furnished to the
learned Jndge without which there can never be any efficacious judicial
review. This valuable right cannot be taken away nor rendered nugatory by
interpretative process which would violate the principles of natural justice
and unfair procedure offending Art. 21. The Committee is a statutory
E Tribunal, even though per force its report is not operative. As a Tribunal
it is enjoined to supply him a copy of its report and if it fails to supply, the
learned Judge is entitled to maintain the writ petition compelling the
committee to supply the copy of the report.

F Sri G. Ramaswarni, the learned Attorney General contended that the
committee is in the nature of a subordinate authority to the Speaker, the
latter being a statutory authority. The report is like grant of sanction for
prosecution of a public servant under section 197 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1973. Unless validity of the sanction is questioned at the earliest
stage the accused is precluded to assail it later on. On the same analogy
G the Judi:;: is entitled to ·challenge adverse findings, the foundation for
address in the Parliament, at the earliest stage even before being con-
sidered by the parliament. This court in SCJA's case found that the judicial
review is available against the adverse report of the committee. The Par-
liamentary process of removal is not amenable to judicial rev;ew. There-
H fore, before any motion is laid on the floor of each House of Parliament,

'·
'
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [K. RAMASWAMY,J.] 209

the learned Judge is entitled to the supply of a copy of the report and to A
the judicial review thereof. Thereafter, this court has no jurisdiction to
interdict the proceeding before both the Houses of Parliament take up the
motion for discussion. Interference later on would tantamount to interfer-
ing with the Parliamentary process. The Parliament alone is to decide as
to how the motion is to be dealt with. Neither this court nor any other court B
in this county has any jurisdiction to deal with the matter or interfere with
its decisions. Under these circumstances the learned Judge is entitled to a
copy of the report and a right to judicial review of the same by this court.
Any construction otherwise would leave the learned Judge high and dry.
Such a situation is anathema to rule of law and the cause of justice.
Exercise of the power of judicial review would be consistent with the C
interpretation of the provision of the Constitution, the Act and the Rules
as laid by this Court in SCJA's case. Any other view would run counter to
the conclusions in SCJA's case. He also contended that it is a basic
principle of natural justice that the person against whom findings are
rendered is entitled to be heard and seek judicial review of the adversse D
findings. As a corollary he is entitled to be supplied with the copy of the
report and later the members of the Committee are not amenable to writ
jurisdiction.

Sri Narirnan, the !earned Senior counsel for the committee con-
tended that the report submitted by the committee germinates certain E
statutory consequences directly relatable to the political process of removal
of the Judge, be the finding one of guilt or exoneration. The report forms
a Parliamentary documenf for its consideration and determines the future
course of the pending motion. If the finding is one of guilt the motion has
to proceed to the stage of consideration and vote. If the finding is of "not F
guilty" the motion by force of statute is teaninated without further con-
sideration or discussion by the Parliament. By operation of sections 4(2)
and 4(3) of the Act the committee is enjoined to submit its report to the
Speaker who is obligated to place it on the floor of both the houses of
Parliament under section 4(3). If the contention that the findings in the G
report are subject to judicial review, the consequence would be that the
finding of "not guilty" is also equally liable to be questioned by any member
of the Parliament that moved the motion. Until the report is upheld or
quashed the Speaker would take no further steps in both Houses of the
Parliament. By necessary implication it excludes consideration by the Par-
liament. In other words judicial review woud tantamount to stultify the H
210 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A political process in the highest forum under the Constitution. On placing
the report on the floor of each House of Parliament the motion would be
subject to discussion, and resolution by majority in terms of Art. 124(4)
which by necessary implication excludes judicial review of the said finding
and of the political process in the Parliament. The learned Judge is not
without remedy. Judicial review need not necessarily be by a court of law.
B Article 124(4) empowers the Parliament to review the report submitted by
the Committee in terms of the law made under Art. 124(5). The learned
Judge is entitled to be heard in the Parliament when the report is taken
up for consideration. In support thereof he placed reliance of the instance
of Mr. Justice Angelo Vasta of the Supreme Court of Qeensland, Australia,
C wherein Justice Vasta was given a notice and he was heard on the floor of
the House before the Parliament discussed his conduct and recommended
to the Governor for his removal.

It is next contended that the ratio in'SCJA's case only to oversee "the
D process and progress" of the Committee's proceedings before it sends its
report. The function of the Committee ends with its submitting the report
to the Speaker with its finding of proved gnilt or non-gnilt. By implication
thereafter the report is not subject to judicial review. The judicial review
after the order of removal passed by the President, in terms of Article
124(4), does not appear to be immune from judicial review, be it by a civil
E
suit under Sec. 9 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 which did not
expressly or by necessary implication bar it or in a proceeding under Art.
32 or Art. 226 of the Constitution. It is settled law by this court that it is
not bound by the technicalities of prerogative writs. Exercise of power
under Art. 226 or Art. 32 of the Constitution is elastic to mete out justice.
F The nature of the remedy may be different, may not be reinstatement but
may be damages. It is his further contention that expedition in disposal of
the motion admitted by the Speaker is the animation from a reading of the
relevant provisions prescribing 3 months time to send the report to the
Speaker. Interference is that Judicial review in the- is not called for. He
G also contends that being a document of the Parliament, the logical conse-
quences would be to permit the highest forum namely the Parliament to
discuss the proved misbehaviour of the learned Judge and to allow the
Parliament to take its decision per majority in terms of Article 124(4) of
the Constitution. The judicial review by necessary implication must be
H eschewed at this stage by proper and true interpretations of Article 124(4)
SMT.S.RAMASWAMlv. U.0.1.[K.RAMASWAMY,J.) 211

and Article 124(5), the Act and the Rules. According to the learned A ·
counsel it is not sensitivity of the learned Judge, but larger public interest
of the confidence in the independence of judiciary which is paramount.
Non review of the report till the order of removal by the President is
passed, would protect and subserve public interest. It would also avoid
protraction and proliferation of insidious effects on the efficacy of judicial B
review is the interregnum.

In support of his contention that the judicial review removal under
Art. 124(4) is impermissible, he placed reliance on the decision in Tun
Dato Haji Mohanad Sallah Bin Abus v. Tam Sri Dato, 1983 L.R.C. 25 of
the Supreme Court of Malasiya, wherein the Court held that a mandamus C
cannot be issued restraining the Tribunal to investigate into the mis-
behaviour of the Judge and to submit the report thereon since it is a
constitutional function which in effect amounts to restraining His Majesty
from receiving the report.
D
Regarding justiciability of the order of removal at the end stage he
placed reliance on Powell v. Mccomack, (1937] 395 U.S. 486 whereunder
removal of Powell from the House by the Senate was reviewed by the
Supreme Court and it was· held that the impeachment power was subject
to judicial review. He also placed reliance on the Commentary thereon by E
Raul Berge on Impeachment, Black on Impeachment and Prof. S.A.
DeSmith's Article in 16 Modern Law Review 502; 1974 American Bar
Association Journal 681; and Prof. Lawrence Tribe of Harward University,
American Constitutional Law 1988, 2nd Edn. Taxes Law Review, Vol.
68(1989) p. 97 Judicial Review of Impeachment by Michael Gerhadt and
Emanucts Constitutional Law 1991-92. He drew analogies from the
F
provisions of the Constitution itself. The impeachment of the President
under Art. 61; removal of the Vice-President under Art. 67(b), the Dy.
Chairman of the Rajya Sabha under Art. 70(c), removal of the Speaker and
Dy. Speaker of Lok Sabha under Art. 94(c) are not subject to judicial
review, as they are purely political processess while for removal of a Judge G
under Art. 124(4) and 124(5) is an amalgam of political and judicial
process. The removal of the Chairman or Member of the Public Service
Commission on a report by the Supreme Court under Art. 317 is not
subject to judicial review und~r Art. 32, since the report is of the Supreme
Court and not of a Committee! of Judges.
I , H
212 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A The learned Attorney General and Sri Sibal are unanimous in their
reply that the political process of removal of a Judge after the resolution
per majority, in tune with Art. 124(4) of the constitution, is not subject to
judicial review as the Parliament exercises judicial power but not legislative
power. Its power of recording judicial finding whether or not guilty was
B entrusted to the Committee and it is its judgment. It cannot be prognosti-
cated as to what procedure the Parliament would follow to discussing the
misbehaviour of the learned Judge. Therefore, the judicial review would
trench into a conflict of jurisdiction of two constitutional wings of the State
and the Court would exercise self-restraint to disturb the finality of con-
stitutional process of removing a Judge. This Court in SCJA's case held
C that the judicial review would be available to the Judge only before it is
being placed on the floor of the House as a concomitant. But they relented
to the position that judicial review would be available, if the removal is not
passed say by a majority of 2/3rd members of the Parliament present and
voting or discussion and voting was not in the same session or that even
D the proved facts and based thereon the finding of guilt as accepted by the
Parliament per se is not a misconduct in the eye of law, etc. Sri Sibal
distinguished Fowel's case on the ground that it was a disqualification to
sit as a member of the House and not impeachment for misconduct and
purely political process. He relied on Halsted L. Ritter v. U.S., 84 Court of
E Claims 293 referred to by Sri Nariman and certiorari was denied in Ritter
v. U.S., 300 U.S. 663. This Court in SCJA's case expressly held that from
the stage of admitting the motion till submission of the report being
statutory the Tribunal's findings are reviewable by this court under Art. 32
or 136 of the Constitution or Art. 226 in the High Court. The adverse
F report, if found, would give cause of action to file writ petition. It is open
to the learned Judge to show to the court the illegalities committed by the
Committee and at the threshold they be corrected and the judicial review
after removal is not efficacious. The availability of the remedy after removal
does not preclude the court to correct illegalities or errors at the earliest.

G
Though the contentions are carved on wide canvass, I prefer to focus
the problem within narrow confines. Whet.her, judicial review of a finding
of guilt recorded by the committee or removal of the Judge following the
resolution passed by both the House of Parliament on an address with
H requisite majority, amenable to judicial review and if so on what grounds,
Slv.T.S.RAMASWAMlv. U.0.1.(K.RAMASWAMY,J.] 213

at what stage ·and to what extent, would not arise on the present facts. The A
controversy thereof traverses wider dimensions pregnant with far reaching
ramifications. The need to traverse the entire gamut is obviated for the
reason that it is premature to go into the questio~ at this stage and secondly
when it trenches into conflict of jurisdictions of this court and of the
Parliament, it would be better to avoid an opinion at an inopportune stage. B
The Parliament while. making the Act in the Language of this court in
SC]A's case adopted a "judicious blend" or 'admixture and amalgam" of
political and judicial process as held in Krishna Swami's case, to remove a
Judge of the Constitutional court. The initiation of the process to remove
a Judge was entrusted to the requisite members of either Rajya Sabha or C
Lok Sabha with stated grounds in the motion. The power was entrusted to
the Speaker to admit or to refuse its admission and on its admission the
duty to constitute a High Judicial Committee composed of a sitting Judge
of the Supreme Court, one of the Chief Justices of the High Courts and a
distinguished Jurist. In SCJA' case this Court held that all the actions of
the Speaker under the Act are statutory ones outside the parliamentary D
proceedings and are subject to judicial review.

In my respectful view, the only question, on th.e facts relevant for
decision in this case is, whether the learned Judge is entitled to supply of
a copy of the report of the Committee to be submitted to the Hon'ble E
Speaker of Lok Sabha. If the contention of Sri Nariman is accepted that
the moment the report was signed by the Committee it forms a Parliamen-
tary document is accepted, the logical result must end in an address by
both the Houses of Parliament; a resolution in that behalf passed in terms
of Art. 124(4} and an order of removal would be passed by the President.
Certainly, the consequence would be that the political process comes to a F
terminus and the order of removal of the Judge becomes final. Whether it
is reviewable by judicial process is yet another question. As soon as the
report is signed by the Committee, as reported to have already been signed
by the Committee, whether it would automatically form part of the Par-
liamentary document is the question. Whether the finding of exoneration G
of the learned Judge by the Committee is also liable to be questioned as
contended for by Sri Nariman? Let us first take the later question. To bring
out that contention pointedly to focus, it is necessary to consider the scope
of Sec.6 of the Act which reads thus:
H
214 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992) SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A 6.(1) "If the report of the Committee contains a finding
that the Judge is not guilty of any misbehaviour or does
not suffer from any incapcity, then, no further steps
shall be taken in either House of Parliament in reiation
to the report and the motion pending in the House or
the Houses of Parliament shall not be proceeded with.
B
(2) If the report of the Committee contains a finding that
the Judge is guilty of any misbehaviour or suffers from
any incapacity, then, the motion referred to in sub-sec-
tion (1) of section 3 shall, together with the report of
c the Committee, be taken up for consideration by the
House or the Houses of Patliament in which it is
pending.

(3) If the motion is adopted by each House of Parliament
in accordance with the provisions of clause (4) of
D
Article 124 or, as the case may be, in accordance with
that clause read with article 218 of the Constitution,
then, the misbehaviour or incapacity of the Judge shall
be deemed to have been proved and an address pray-
ing for the removal of the Judge shall be presented in
E the prescribed manner to the President by each House
of Parliament in the same session in which the motion
has been adopted."

The Act insisted that the political process of removal of a Judge must be
F flavoured by a finding of guilt of proved misbehaviour or incapacity, a
foundation for removal under Art. 124(4) by a high judicial authority as it
impinges upon the reputation and forfeiture of office by an equally high
constitutional functionary. Article 124(5) empowers to make law of proce-
dure for investigation into misbehaviour or incapacity of a Judge. Section
3(2) authorises the Speaker to constitute the Committee in terms thereof
G and, therefore, he ceases to have any hold over the commiitee. The
Committee thus is a high judicial body consistent with the status of the
Judge. The contention of the Attorney General that the Committee is a
delegate of the Speaker, is ill conceived. By operation of Sec. 6(1), if the
report of the Committee contains a finding that the Judge is not guilty of
H misbehaviour ~r does not suffer from any incapacity, then no further steps
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [K. RAMASWAMY,J.] 215

should be taken in either House of the Parliament in relation to the report A
and there is legislative mandamus that the motion pending in either the
House of Parliament shall not be proceeded with. In other words the
motion stands lapsed. The result also is envisaged in Rule 9( 4). Rule 9
provides the procedure to submit "the report. Sub-rule 4 of rule 9 provides
thus:
B
"(4) Where the majority of the members of the Inquiry
Committee makes a finding to the effect that the Judge is
guilty of a misbehaviour or that he suffers from an in-
capacity, but th~ third member thereof makes a finding to
the contrary, the presiding officer of the Inquiry Commit- c
tee shall authenticate, in the manner specified in sub-rule
(2), the finding made by such third member, in duplicate
and shall forward the same along with the report sub-
mitted by him under sec.4.

D
Sub-rule (6) of rule 9 reads thus :

"(6) Where the majority of the members of the Inquiry
Committee makes a finding to the effect that the Judge is
not guilty of any misbehaviour or that he does not suffer
from any incapacity, and the third member thereof makes E
a finding to the contrary, the Inquiry Committee shall not
disclose the finding made by such third member to Par-
liament or to any other authority, body or person."

A conjoint reading of sec. 6(1), rule 9(4) read with rule 9(6) would establish F
the legislative animation that where the report contains a finding of guilt
of misbehaviour or that the Judge suffers from an incapacity, unanimously
or per majority view, then the Presiding Officer (sitting Judge of this Court)
of the Inquiry Committee shall authenticate, in the manner prescribed in
sub-rule (2) the finding made by the third member of not guilty, in
duplicate, should be forwarded to the Speaker/Chairman along with the G
report submitted by him under sec.4. At the discussion by the Parliament,
the favourable finding of 'not guilty' may be taken into account by the
Parliament or even the finding of guilt may be open to discussion with the
aid of the evidence placed on its floor and the Parliament may or may not
agree with the majority view in which case there shall be deemed proof or H
216 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992) SUPP. l S.C.R.

A disproof of misbehaviour or incapacity in the light of majority resolution,
though no express finding was recorded in that behalf. On the other band,
if the majority members make a fmding that the Judge is not guilty of any
misbehaviour or he does not suffer from any incapacity, but the third
member records a finding to the contrary, the Committee shall not disclose
that fmding of the third member to the Parliament or to any other
B
authority, body or person. In other words there is a statutory prohibition
or mandatory injunction to the committee to disclose the minority view to
the public. Thus it is clear that the finding of "not guilty", in other words,
"exoneration" from the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity by majority of
the members was treated to be conclusive and should be kept secret and
C by necessary implication it excluded judicial review. The reason is obvious
that the finding of a high judicial body, a final arbitor, must be respected;
should receive finality and should not be tinkered with. Equally disclosure
of even the minority view would effect not only the reputation of the Judge
but the non-disclosure would also ward off collateral attack from any
D quarter or liability to be questioned by any third party. It is held in Krishna
Swami's case that neither the members of the Parliament, nor anybody have
locus or right to participate and lead evidence against the Judge at the
investigation done by the Committee. As a necessary corollary µo-one is
· entitled to impugne the correctness of the findings of 'not guilty' recorded
by the Committee, absolving fhe Judge from the charge. Therefore, the
E legislature itself made a distinction between the consequences that would
flow from recording a finding of guilty or exoneration and the former is
subject to political process, together with the contra fmding of third
member but in the latter case it is conclusive. As held in SCJA's case, no
further steps based thereon should be taken up for consideration. In other
F words, it is immune from attack from any quarter whatsoever, when even
the Parliament itself was prohibited to go into that question. It must thus
be held that first contention of Sri Nariman is not tenable and accordingly
it is negatived.

The next question is as to when the report of unanimous or per
G majority finding of 'proved misbehaviour or incapacity' would form part of
Parliamentary document. Under sub-section (2) of sec.4, '.at the conclusion
of the invest1gation, the Committee shall send the report to the Speaker,
or as the case may be, to the Chairman or where the Committee has been
constituted jointly by the Speaker and the Chairman, to both of them
H stating therein its findings on each of the charges with such of the reasons
SMT.S.RAMASWAMJv. U.0.1.[K.RAMASWAMY,J.] 217

on the whole case as it deems fit'. Under sub-sec. (3) thereof the Speaker A
or the chairman or both when the committee was constituted jointly by
them, 'shall cause the report to be laid, as soon as may ·be, before the
House of People and Council of State'. Under Rule 9(3), a copy of the
report of the Inquiry Committee, authenticated in the manner specified in
sub-rule (2), 'shall be laid before each House of Parliament'. Under B
sub-rule (6) of rule 9 when one member recorded a finding of not guilty
of misbehaviour or does not suffer from any incapacity, the said report of
the third member, as authenticated by the Presiding Officer, shall also be
laid before each House of Parliament along with the evidence as per Rule
9(5).
c
In SCJA's case interpreting Sections 3, 4 and 6 of the Act, the
majority, in the context of the doctrine of lapse, held that the entire stage
up to proof of misbehaviour or incapacity began with the iiiitiation of
investigation on the allegation being made is governed l>y the law enacted
under Art. 124(5). The stage of an address by each House of the Parlia- D
ment commences only when the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity is
proved in accordance with the law enacted under Clause 5 (para 78). The
first part is entirely statutory while the second part alone is the Parliamen-
tary process. The first part covered fully by enacted law, the validity of
which and process thereunder being subject to judicial review independent E
of any political colour and after proof it is was intended to be a parliamen-
tary process (para 82). The House does not come into picture at the stage
of admitting the motion, constituting the committee and the investigation
into the alleged misbehaviour or incapacity.

Therefore, the Speaker on receipt of the report submitted by the F
committee under section 4(2) or, as the case ·may be, the Chairman or both
of them, by operation of sub-section (3) thereof should cause the report to
be laid before each House of parliament. The manner of preparation of
the record is controlled and regulated by rule 16. It postulates that, when
the committee unanimously or per majority thereof, finds that the Judge is G
guilty of any misbehaviour or suffers from an incapacity, the Secretary of
the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, as the case may be, shall prepare the
address in form II and a copy of the motion shall be annexed. to the
address. They shall fix the date for consideration by each House and
address may be supported by majority member in terms of Art. 124(4). H
218 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992) SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A Thus it is clear that the moment the report was signed by the committee,
it did not, ipso facto, become the document of the Parliament but when the
Speaker/Chairman or both, as the case may be, caused the report to be
laid on the floor of each House of Parliament together with the evidence
and the motion in the manner prescribed in Rule 16, it becomes the
B document of the Parliament. Until then the Speaker/Chairman holds the
document in his statutory capacity under the Act. The anchor of Sri
Nariman lost its hook.

The question then is whether the committee is a tribunal? In lndo-
C China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. v. Jasjit Singh, Addi. Collector of Custom
& Ors., (1964) 6 SCR 594 the facts were that under the Customs Act on
proceedings having been taken and the goods confiscated, an appeal was
laid before the Central Board of Revenue which was rejected. A revision
to the Central Govt. also met with the same fate. When their correctness
was questioned in this court under Act. 136, a preliminary objection was
D raised that the Board and the Government are not a tribunal within the
meaning of Art. 136 and that, therefore, the order passed by the authorities
under the Act was not subject to judicial review. While repealing the
contention the Constitution Bench held at pages 603 & 604 thus :

E "It is difficult to lay down any definite or precise test for
determining the character of a body which is called upon
to adjudicate upon matters brought before it. Sometimes
in deciding such a question, courts enquire whether the
body or authority whose status or character is the subject
F matter of the enquiry, is clothed with the trappings of a
court. Can it compel witnesses to appear before it and
administer oath to them, is it required to follow certain
rules of procedure, is it bound to comply with the rules
of natural justice, is it expected to deal with the matters
before it fairly, justly and on the merits and not be guided
G by subjective considerations; in other words, is the ap-
proach which it is quasi-judicial approach? If all or some
of the important tests in that behalf are satisfied, the
proceedings can be characterised as judicial proceedings
and the test of trappings may be said to be satisfied. But
H apart from the test of trappings, another test of impor-
SMT.S.RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1.[K. RAMASWAMY,J.] 219

lance is whether the body or authority had been con- A
. stituted by the State and the State had conferred on its
inherent judicial power. If it appear that such a body or
authority has been constituted by the .Jegislatur~ and on it
has been conferred the State's inherent judicial power,
that wou.Jd be a significant, if not a decisive, indication
that the said body or authority is a Tribunal".
B

Accordingly it was held that the Central Board of Revenue and the
Central Govt. are Tribunals for the purpose of Art. 136. In the Bharat Bank
Ltd., Delhi v. Employees of the Bharat Bank Ltd., Delhi, (1950] SCR 495
when similar objection was taken of Industrial Tribunal another Consitu· C
tion Bench held that the main function of the Industrial Tribunal is to
adjudicate on industrial disputes which implies that there must be two or
more parties before it with conflicting cases and that it has ·also to arrive
at a conclusion as to how the dispute is ended. Prima facie, therefore, a
Tribunal like this cannot be ~l'~!l!9ed from the scope of Art. 136. It was D
also further held that though the award in proprio vigore is not enforceable,
is
t:i
life kindles into being,
,.,:., :'': :
on
',,
acceptance
'.
by the government
•
concerned and
a notification was issued by the government in the manner prescribed by
law. It by itself is not a determinitive factor to keep the award outside the
purview of Art. 136 of the Constitution. In Associated Cement Co. Ltd. v. E
P.N. Sharma & Anr., (1965] 2 SCR 366 the question was whether the order
passed by the government with the concurrence of the Labour Commis-
sioner under the Punjab Welfare Officer Recruitment and Conditions of
Service Rules, 1952 is a Tribunal within the meaning of Art. 136. This Court
at page~ 386 & 387 held thus:
F
"The presence of all or some of the trappings _of a court
is really not decisive. The presence of some of the trap-
pings may assist the determination of the question as to
whether the power exercised by the authority which pos-
sesses the said trappings, is the judicial power of the State G
or not. The main and the basic test, however, is whether
the aJjudicating power which a particu.Jar authority is
empowered to exercise, has been conferred on it by a
statute and can be described as a part of the State's
inherent power exercised in discharging its judicial func- H
220 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1992) SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A lion. Applying this test, there can be no doubt that the
power which the State Govt. exercises under R.6(5) and
R.6(6) is a part of the State's judicial power. It has been
conferred on the State Government by a statutory Rule
and it can be exercised in respect of disputes between the
management and its Welfare Officers. There is, in that
B sense, a lis; there is affirmation by one party and denial
by another, and the dispute necessarily involves the rights
and obligations of the parties to it".

The same is the ratio in Durga Shankar Mehta v. Thakur Raghuraj Singh
C and Ors., (1955) 1 SCR 267 and Dev Singh & Ors. v. Registrar, Punjab &
HQl)lana High Court & Ors., (1987] 2 SCR 1005 the latter a little digressed
on facts.

It is, therefore, settled law that all the trappings of the court need
D not necessrily be present in a particular case to bring the authority as a
Tribunal but the essential postulate must be that it must be the creature of
the statute and the State should delegate its inherent power of judicial
review to the Tribunal; all or some of the trappings of a court may or may
not be present in a given case. The Tribunal should adjudicate the dispute
E between the parties before it, after giving reasonable opportunity to the
parties, consistent with the principles of fair play and natural justice. It is
not necessary that proprio vigore it is enforceable. The mere fact that it is
subject to further orders does not take away the effect of the decision or
findings recorded thereunder.

The committee is not a recommendatory body. It is high judicial
authority deriving its power from Art. 124(5) of the Constitution read with
Section 3(2) of the Act. On framing definite charges and service on him,
it gives reasonable time to the learned Judge to file his defence. The
Committee under Rule 8 is empowered to conduct ex-parte enquiry, in the
G absence of the Judge, when he did not appear or had chosen to remian
absent. The Judge also has been given right under Rule 11 to consult his
counsel and the right to .be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice.
During investigation the Committee was empowered by Sec. 5 of the Act
with 'powers of a civil court while trying the civil suit' under Code of Civil
H Procedure, 1908 in respect of enumerated matters, namely, 'to summon,
SMT.S.RAMASWAMiv. U.0.1.[K.RAMASWAMY,J.] 221

and enforce the attendance of the witnesses and their examination, power A
of discovery and inspection or to direct them, production of documents, to
receive evidence on oath, to issue commission for examination of the
witnesses or the documents and such other p~escribed matters'. Under
sec.4(1) the Committee shall give reasonable opportunity to the Judge and
the Advocate appointed under Sec. 3(9) to examine witnesses, right to B
examine, adjudication of evidence in proof or disproof of the charges and
right to be heard in defence. Under Rule 10(1) the evidence should be
recorded as per provision of the Code of Civil Procedure. The right to
1 examine and cross-examine witnesses is a valuable right akin to a trial of

dispute between two contending parties and their right to address the
Committee on the evidence adduced in proof or disproof of the charges is C
to adjudge the issue in a judicious manner. The Committee thus has been
empowered to adjudicate on the proof or disproof of the charges in
accordance with the evidence legally adduced after hearing the Judge and
the Advocate. The Committee has no other function except to adjudicate
upon the dispute of 'the proved guilt or not guilty". By operation of Rule D
f. the Committee, may on consideration of the evidence and applying the
standard of 'proof beyond reasonable doubt', make a finding that the
misbehaviour or incapacity has been proved or disproved. The finding of
guilt alone is subject to political process. Thus the Inquiry Committee is a
high judicial body or authority. E

The problem could be broached from a different perspective. In
substance the investigation and proof of misbehaviour or incapacity of a
Judge under Art. 124(5) read with the Act and the Rules; the address by
each House of Parliament supported by the requisite majority and removal F
of a Judge by the President is akin to a disciplinary measure to resuscitate
and infuse needed judicial conduct and fervidity by assertion of the
supremacy of law that the Judge too will be subject to law. The Judge
occupies a constitutional office. Article. 124(5) devised an amalgam of
judicial and political process to remove an erring Judge or Judge suffering
from incapacity. The report submitted by the Committee to the Speaker G
with the finding that the alleged misbehaviour is proved and the Judge is
found guilty of the proved misbehaviour, constitutes fresh material. This
Court in Union of India v. H.C. Goe~ (1964) 4 SCR 718 at 728 held thai:-

"The enquiry report along with the evidence recorded H
222 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1992] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A constitute the material on which the government has ul-
timately to act. That is the only purpose of the enquiry
held by the competent officer and the report which he
makes as a_ result of the said enquiry'.

(Emphasis supplied)
B
It was further held at p.729 that:-

"It is true that the order of dismissal which may be passed
against a government servant found guilty of misconduct,
c can be described as an administrative order; nevertheless,
the proceedings held against such_ a public servant under
the statutory rules to determine whether he is guilty of the
charge framed against him are in the nature of quasi
judicial proceedings and there can be little doubt that a
writ of certiorari, for instance, can be claimed by a public
D servant if he is able to satisfy the High Court that the
ultimate conclusion of the government in the said
proceedings which is the basis of his dismissal is based on
no evidence".

In Union of India & Ors. v. Mohd. Ramzan Khan, (1991] 1 SCC 588
E
a bench of three Judges held (of course it is subject to the decision by the
Constitution Bench, pending reference) that the disciplinary authority is
very often influenced by the conclusion of the enquiry officer and even by
the recommendations relating to the nature of the punishment to be
inflicted. With the 42nd amendment the delinquent officer is associated
F with the disciplinary enquiry not beyond the recording of evidence and
submissions made on the basis of the matter to assist the enquiry officer
has to come to his conclusion. In case his conclusions are kept away beyond
the enquiry with or without recommendation as to punishment, the delin-
quent is precluded from knowing the contents thereof although such
G material is used against him by the disciplinary authority. The report is an
adverse material if the Inquiry Officer records a finding of guilt and
proposes a punishment so far as the delinquent is conerned. In a quasi-
judicial matter, if the delinquent is being deprived of knowledge of the
material against him, though the same was made available to the punishing
H authority in the' matter of reaching its conclusion, it is voilative of the rules
SMT. S. RAMASWAMI v. U.0.1. [K. RAMASWAMY, J.] 223

of natural justice. This court further approved the ratio in Mazharul Islam A
Hashmi v. State of U.P. & Anr., [1979] 4 SCC 537 = AIR 1979 SC 1237
that the other person must know what he has to meet and he must have an
opportunity of meeting that case. The Legislature, however, can exclude
operation of these principles expressly or impliedly but in the absence of
any such exclusion, principles of natural justice will have to be followed. B
The finding of guilt of misbehaviour or incapacity, with which the Judge is
suffering from, would visit with civil consequences of loss of reputation in
the society apart ,from forfeiture of office. In Mohinder Singh Gill & Anr.
v. The Chief Election Commissioner, New Delhi & Ors., [1978] 2 SCR 272
it was held that a person effected by the civil consequences is entitled to C
the Report. It is now settled law that the principles of natural justice are
an integral part of constitutional scheme of just and fair procedure en-
visaged under Art.14 of the Constitution.

The above discussion leads to conclude that if the committee makes,
an unanimous or per majority, finding that the learned Judge is 'not guilty' D
of misbehaviour, the finding receives quietus and is conclusive. The politi-
cal process pursuant to pending motion should not be proceeded with and
should stand lapsed. The minority finding of 'guilt' should remain secret
and none be entitled to, either access to the report of exoneration or to
assail the correctness of the finding of not guilty recorded by the commit- E
tee. The need to supply the report is obviated. bn the other hand if the
committee either unanimously or per majority makes a finding of 'guilty of
the proved misbehaviour' only that part should be laid on the floor of each
-House of the Parliament in terms of the Act and the Rules along with the
minority views of 'not guilty' and the political process for removal of the
Judge would start. That report is adverse to the learned Judge. The F
constitutional scheme laid emphasis on expedition of the consideration of
the pending motion and, it should doubtless be done for, its dilation would
generate deleterious effects on pub,lic confidence in the efficacy of ad-
ministration of justice. Every right carries with it the corollary remedy to
redress the injury. Indisputably and as a fact in fairness, Sri Nariman, also G
accepted that the learned Judge is entitled to judicial review. The arena of
controversy is, whether, before the parliament had taken up the motion for
consideration or after the President passed an order of removal under
Article 124(4). As prefaced before the start of discussion that stage would H
224 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1~92] SUPP.! S.C.R.

A set only if and when the learned Judge has chosen to seek judicial review.
That would arise only when he has been supplied with a copy of the report.
W.ithout kno~g what the contents of the report are; the reasoning in
support of the findings of proved misbehaviour or other illegalities in the
process of adjudication, can a party be foreclosed from legal remedy? In
such a case is it not a non-issue? Without supply of the material, the
B
foundation of legal injury, can he adequately and effectively plead, proved

..
and disabuse the incorrectness of the finding etc.? May be the learned
Judge opts to avail the remedy on the floor of the House of Parliament.
Does non-supply of the report not trench into offending the principles of
natural justice? Is it not anathema to judicial process? The secrecy of the
c report of minority member's finding of 'guilt' is to protect the Judge but
when the finding of guilt when adversely effects the Judge, can it be denied
on the plea of secrecy? May be the counsel may canvas any contention on
a non-issue. ls the court bound to answer all the contentions raised? In the
circumstances, I am of the humble view that the learned Judge is entitled
D to the supply of a copy of the report and the committee being a high
statutory one, the court can, keeping the status of the committee in view,
make a request to supply the copy of the report to the learned Judge.

The necessary conclusion, therefore, is that the learned Judge is
E entitled to the supply of a copy of the report of the committee. Its
concomitant would be that the learned Judge needs time to reflect upon
to taking a decision and action thereon. Though the Speaker was sought
to be impleaded as a respondent to the writ petition, later on he was
deleted. Therefore, the question of direction to the Hon'ble Speaker with
a request not to lay the report on the floor of each House of Parliament
F does not arise. Necessarily, the committee is to be requested to withnold
submission of its report for a reasonable time.

Accordingly, I allow the writ pj'tition and direct the Registrar
General to communicate a letter of request to Sri Justice P.B. Sawant
G Committee to supply a copy of the report to Hon'ble Sri Justice V.
Ramaswami and to convey further request to withhold submission of its
report for a reasonable time from the date of the receipt of the letter of
request from the Registry. The Attorney General is also requested to
apprise the Hon'ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha of the order passed in this
H behalf and if necessary to extend the needed time to enable the committee
SMT.S.RAMASWAM!v. U.0.I.[K.RAMASWAMY,J.] 225

to submit its report within that extended time. The writ petition is accord- A
ingly ordered but in the circumstances without cost.

ORDER

This Writ Petition is disposed of in terms of, and in accordance with
the majority opinion. B
T.N.A. Petition disposed of.

(