How many Judges of the Supreme Court of India have been removed so far by the process of impeachment ?

The correct answer is None.

Key Points

• As of October 2023, no judge of the Supreme Court of India has been removed from office through the impeachment process.
• The Constitution of India provides for the removal of Supreme Court judges through impeachment under Article 124(4) and Article 124(5).
• The procedure for impeachment involves a rigorous process that requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament.
• Although there have been attempts, such as the case of Justice V. Ramaswami in 1993, no impeachment motion has been successfully passed to date.

Additional Information

• Article 124(4) and 124(5)
  • Article 124(4) states that a Supreme Court judge can be removed on the grounds of proved misbehavior or incapacity.
  • Article 124(5) provides the Parliament the power to regulate the procedure for the presentation of an address and for the investigation and proof of the misbehavior or incapacity of a judge.
• Impeachment Process
  • The process begins with the presentation of a motion in either House of Parliament signed by at least 100 members of the Lok Sabha or 50 members of the Rajya Sabha.
  • If the motion is admitted, an inquiry committee is formed to investigate the charges.
  • If the committee finds the judge guilty, the motion is debated in both Houses of Parliament.
  • The motion must be passed by a two-thirds majority in each House for the judge to be removed.
• Justice V. Ramaswami Case
  • Justice V. Ramaswami was the first judge against whom impeachment proceedings were initiated in 1991.
  • Despite the inquiry committee finding him guilty of misconduct, the motion failed to secure the required majority in the Lok Sabha in 1993.
• Judicial Independence
  • The stringent impeachment process is designed to uphold the independence of the judiciary and prevent undue influence from the executive or legislature.
  • It ensures that only serious and proven charges can lead to the removal of a judge.