Chennai: Lok Sabha MPs led by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) Kanimozhi Karunanidhi submitted a petition to Speaker Om Birla Tuesday to remove Madras High Court judge, Justice G.R. Swaminathan.
The INDIA bloc MPs questioned the conduct of the Madurai bench judge, raising questions on “impartiality, transparency and secular functioning of the judiciary”.
The motion was moved under Article 217, read with Article 124 of the Constitution of India, which provides for the governing and removal of high court judges.
In the letter, the MPs urged the House to pass a motion for Justice Swaminathan’s impeachment, claiming his actions raise “serious questions”. The letter accused the judge of extending undue favour to Senior Advocate M. Sricharan Ranganathan in the course of deciding cases, and of “showing preference to advocates from a particular community”.
The petition alleged that Justice Swaminathan delivered judgments driven by “particular political ideology”, and in a manner inconsistent with the secular principles of the Constitution.
The impeachment plea comes against the backdrop of Justice Swaminathan’s judgment allowing the lighting of the traditional Karthigai Deepam lamp at the “Deepathoon” pillar of the Subramaniya Swamy Temple at Thirupparankundram hill, with the pillar located on a peak near a dargah on the hill—a move that has raised objections from the public as well as the Madurai authorities. The administration eventually refused to implement the order, citing law-and-order concerns, which led to violent protests by pro-Hindu groups in the area.
As many as 107 MPs from the INDIA bloc alliance, including from the DMK, Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC), have signed the impeachment motion. The letter was also sent to the offices of the President of India and the Chief Justice of India.
Bharatiya Janata Party National Secretary Dr Arvind Menon, in a post on X, called the plea “anti-Hindu bigotry.”
Shame on @arivalayam & the INDI alliance for stooping so low!
Bullying Justice Swaminathan with impeachment threats just because he upheld Tamil traditions like Karthigai Deepam on Thiruparankundram hill ?
This isn’t politics, it’s anti-Hindu bigotry in disguise. pic.twitter.com/1Mgebt1Uk4
— Dr. Arvind Menon (@MenonArvindBJP) December 9, 2025
Reacting to the impeachment move on X, former BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai, accused the INDIA bloc of “flaunting their anti-Hindu credentials like a badge of honour”.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)
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