A view of the Supreme Court of India. File
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

The Supreme Court on Monday, February 6, 2023, agreed to hear on Friday, February 10, 2023, a petition filed by the Madras High Court lawyers against a January 17 Collegium recommendation to appoint advocate Victoria Gowri as a judge of the Madras High Court.

Earlier last week, a group of 21 lawyers wrote to President Draupadi Murmu urging her to return the Supreme Court collegium’s January 17 recommendation to elevate advocate Victoria Gowri as a judge of the Madras High Court.

In their representation, the advocates expressed surprise over the collegium having recommended Ms. Gowri’s name despite her “hate speeches” against minorities, religious conversions and ‘love jihad’.

“Ms. Gowri’s regressive views are completely antithetical to foundational constitutional values and reflect her deep rooted religious bigotry making her unfit to be appointed as a High Court judge… Can any litigant belonging to Muslim or Christian [communities] ever hope to get justice in her court if she becomes a judge?” the lawyers had asked in their letter.

Meanwhile, over 50 advocates of the Madras High Court Bench in Madurai, on February 3, made a representation to the Supreme Court Collegium in support of Ms. Gowri. stating that the Madras High Court had witnessed many advocates with political affiliation being appointed as judges.

Appointed as Additional Judge

Even as the Supreme Court agreed to hear the plea, the Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, on Monday, took to Twitter to share a list of 13 names, including that of Ms. Gowri, which have been cleared for judicial appointments at Allahabad, Karnataka and Madras High Courts.