SC to hear plea against Gowri's appointment

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 6

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a petition challenging the appointment of advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri as a judge of the Madras High Court on the ground of her alleged affiliation to the BJP.

Controversy over hate speech

• Petitioners allege Victoria Gowri, ‘who owes allegiance to BJP’, delivered hate speeches against Muslims, Christians
• Showed disdain towards rights of citizens, violating Article 217(2)(b), they claim
• CJI had earlier posted the plea for hearing on Feb 10, but advanced it to Feb 7

Appointment of 13 HC judges notified

• Five newly appointed Supreme Court judges were administered oath of office on Monday
• With this, the SC strength has gone up to 32 against the sanctioned strength of 34
• After a rap from the Supreme Court, the Centre notified the appointments on Saturday
• The govt on Monday cleared 13 judges for HCs of Madras, Allahabad, Karnataka inside

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud — which had earlier agreed to take it up on February 10 — advanced the date of hearing to February 7 after senior counsel Raju Ramachandran pointed out that the Centre has notified Gowri’s appointment as an additional judge of the Madras High Court.

It said the Collegium had taken note of “certain developments” after her name was recommended to the Centre.

“Since we have taken cognisance of the development, we can list it tomorrow morning,” the CJI said after the petition by three lawyers was mentioned again. Earlier in the day, the Bench had agreed to take up on February 10 the plea challenging Gowri’s appointment.

After the case was first mentioned in the pre-lunch session, the Centre’s notification appointing a total of 11 advocates and two judicial officers as additional judges in the high courts of Allahabad, Karnataka and Madras was announced by Law Minister Kiren Rijiju. One of those appointed to the Madras High Court was advocate Gowri.

The proposal to appoint Gowri, who has been representing the Centre before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, was mired in controversy over allegations of her affiliation to the BJP and her purported statements against Muslims and Christians.