INDIA Bloc MPs Submit Impeachment Notice Against Madras HC Judge Over Lamp Lighting Row
DMK MPs move to impeach Madras HC judge over Karthigai Deepam lamp order, sparking political tensions.
The DMK on Tuesday submitted a notice signed by 120 MPs to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking impeachment proceedings against Madras High Court Judge G.R. Swaminathan. The notice was handed over by DMK parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi, Lok Sabha leader T.R. Baalu, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. According to the notice dated December 9, 2025, the motion was moved under Articles 217 and 124 of the Constitution.
It alleges that the judge’s conduct compromised judicial impartiality, accusing him of extending undue favour to select advocates and issuing politically influenced verdicts that violate secular constitutional principles. Letters sent earlier to the President of India and the Chief Justice of India were included with the motion.
Lamp-Lighting Order Sparks Dispute
The development follows a growing controversy over Judge Swaminathan’s order permitting the lighting of the traditional Karthigai Deepam lamp atop Thiruparankundram hill, a site that includes both a temple and a nearby dargah. The order directed that the ritual be carried out on the “Deepathoon” pillar by December 4, dismissing objections from temple and dargah authorities and ruling that it did not infringe upon the rights of the Muslim community. It also allowed a limited group of devotees, escorted by security personnel, to perform the ritual.
The Tamil Nadu government refused to carry out the order, citing potential law-and-order issues. The standoff led to protests by pro-Hindu groups, clashes with police, and has since escalated into a broader political and judicial confrontation.
VIDEO | Delhi: DMK leader Kanimozhi submits an Impeachment Notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking the removal of Madras High Court Judge G R Swaminathan, after obtaining signatures from more than 120 MPs.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 9, 2025
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh… pic.twitter.com/yzn9gq2lio
Former BJP Tamil Nadu chief K. Annamalai, responding to the impeachment move on X, accused the INDIA bloc of “flaunting their anti-Hindu credentials” and alleged that the motion amounted to “minority appeasement politics.” He claimed the move signaled that judicial verdicts could be challenged through political pressure, posing a threat to constitutional values.
Oppostions Lack In Majority To Win
BJP spokesperson Narayan Tirupathy also criticised the initiative, alleging it was intended to intimidate the judge due to his caste background. He said the opposition lacked the numbers required for the motion to succeed, noting that a two-thirds majority is necessary.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Tamil Nadu government’s plea challenging the High Court’s order permitting devotees of the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple to light the Karthigai Deepam lamp at Deepathoon.
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