India, April 11 -- President of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association Rakesh Pande on Friday welcomed Justice Yashwant Varma's resignation but said he should have taken the step earlier and put an end to needless controversy.

"If Justice Yashwant Varma wanted to resign, it would have been better for all of us had he done it much earlier. This merely created unnecessary controversy. It tarnished the image of everyone involved - the High Court, the entire judiciary, and him.

"If he was going to fight (corruption charges against him), he should have continued to fight. And if he intended to resign, he could have done it right at the beginning. Nevertheless, his resignation now is a welcome step. He has acted sensibly," Pande told PTI on...