Madras HC lawyers oppose appointment of advocate with RSS links as judge

The advocates have flagged hate speeches made by Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri, a BJP member, against Muslims and Christians

NT Correspondent

Chennai: A section of the Madras High Court Bar association has opposed the Supreme Court collegium's recommendation to elevate advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri for judgeship at the Madras HC and demanded her recall.

In separate letters addressed to President Droupadi Murmu and the Supreme Court collegium, the group of advocates objected to the collegium's recommendation saying her appointment would undermine the independence of the judiciary.

Gowri, by her own admission, is the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party Mahila Morch, the memorandum signed by 22 lawyers including senior advocates N G R Prasad, R Vaigai, Anna Mathew, D Nagasaila and Sudha Ramalingam, said.

“We write with a sense of foreboding, in these troubled times, when the judiciary is facing unprecedented and unwarranted criticism from the executive, as we are apprehensive that appointments such as these may pave the way for undermining the independence of the judiciary,” the memorandum said. It is extremely critical, at this juncture, to safeguard the institution from being weakened by its own administrative action, it said.

The collegium, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K M Joseph had on January 17 proposed the names of Gowri and four other lawyers for elevation to the high court.