Congress and other opposition parties, on Friday, decided to submit notice for impeachment proceedings against Dipak Mishra, chief justice of India, said sources.

The parties led by Ghulam Nabi Azad reached vice-president Venkaiah Naidu's residence to hand over a notice for impeachment of CJI.

According to sources, more than 60 MPs of the Rajya Sabha belonging to seven political parties gave the notice for the impeachment against the CJI.

The MPs who signed the notice belong to Congress, NCP, CPI-M and CPI, SP and BSP.

The leaders of these parties earlier met in Parliament and gave final shape to the notice for impeachment.

After the meeting, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad confirmed that the leaders were moving the notice for impeachment against CJI.

Among those who attended the meeting in Parliament were Congress leaders Azad, Kapil Sibal and Randeep Surjewala, besides CPI's D Raja and NCP's Vandana Chavan.

Sources said the Trinamool Congress and the DMK, which were initially in favour of the impeachment against the CJI, are no longer part of it.

The impeachment notice comes a day after the Supreme Court rejected a bunch of petitions seeking an independent probe into the death of Judge B H Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case.

The Supreme Court judgement was delivered by a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India.

Also read: Opposition parties decide to submit notice for impeachment proceedings against CJI

An impeachment motion in the Rajya Sabha has to be supported by at least 50 MPs of the Upper House, while the number of MPs supporting such a motion in the Lok Sabha is 100.

Once the notice for impeachment is submitted to the Rajya Sabha chairman, he will ascertain whether there is merit or ground for moving such a motion.

In case he finds merit, then he may form a committee to look into it, else he can reject it.

If moved, this will be the first time ever in the country's history that an impeachment would be moved against the Chief Justice of India.

(With inputs from PTI)

First Published:Apr 20, 2018 12:36 PM IST