Opposition parties meet today to give shape to proposed CJI impeachment motion

Opposition parties are likely to meet today in Parliament to discuss the current political situation.

The leaders of opposition parties will meet on Friday in Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament and are likely to discuss the issue of the Supreme Court verdict rejecting multiple pleas for an independent probe into the death of special CBI judge B H Loya, sources said.

The issue of moving an impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra is also likely to be discussed in the wake of the Loya case judgement.

In its order, the Supreme Court said the petitions seeking a probe into Judge Loya's death were a serious attempt to scandalise and obstruct the course of justice. The top court dubbed the PILs into the death of judge Loya as frivolous and motivated litigations to settle political scores and rivalry were behind the "facade of the PIL" to malign the dignity of judicial officers and Bombay High Court judges.

Soon after the Supreme Court passed its order rejecting a batch of petitions in the Loya case, a number of senior BJP leaders blasted the Congress and Gandhi and sought his apology for what they described as attempt to use the judiciary for a political battle aimed at "character assassination".

The apex court said the judge died of natural causes while rejecting petitions that cast a cloud over reasons of his demise and sought an independent probe. 

The Opposition has been working on bringing various parties on board for a larger consensus on bringing the impeachment motion against the CJI.

While the Left parties, the NCP and the Congress are on board for moving the impeachment motion, some parties that have already signed the petition have backed out.

During the meeting convened by Azad, the sources say, the opposition parties will also discuss the idea of having a broader consensus on how to defeat the BJP in the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.