Many Madras HC Judges Were Office Bearers Of Political Parties Before Elevation: Lawyers Write To Collegium Supporting Elevation Of Victoria Gowri
|Around 100 lawyers of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court have urged the Judges of the Supreme Court Collegium to reject opposition to the recommendation of Advocate L. Victoria Gowri as a Judge of the Madras High Court.
The lawyers, including Advocate S. Srinivasa Raghavan, the President of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Bar Association, have said in their representation that many lawyers have been appointed as judges of the Madras High Court, though they were office bearers of leading political parties of Tamil Nadu.
A group of lawyers had earlier made a representation to the President of India and the Supreme Court Collegium opposing the recommendation to elevate Advocate Victoria Gowri stating that she was the “National General Secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha”.
The new representation says that the signatories to the earlier representation have their own political agenda and that they belong to a political faction. It terms the objection an interference with the administration of justice and appointment of judges. It is also alleged that an edited speech of Advocate Victoria Gowri has been spread with ulterior motives.
The representation is also signed by some Senior Advocates like K. Balasundharam and K.P.S.Palanivel Rajan.
“…we humbly request to reject the claim of a group of lawyers to withdraw the recommendations of the collegium relating to the appointment of Mrs. L. Victoria Gowri.”, the representation reads.
The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Advocate L Victoria Gowri, to be appointed as a judge in the Madras High Court on 17 January, along with four others.
The representation by advocates of the Madurai Bench states that there is no reasonableness and fairness on the part of the lawyers placing objections against Victoria Gowri due to political animosity.
“It is to be considered that based on the inputs from the state and the central government like Special Branch Police, Intelligence Bureau and as well from the candidates, the Hon’ble Collegium was pleased to recommend her name. Now without any valid reasons, except political vendetta and political animosity, a group of advocates belonging to some political factions are directly trying to interfere with the administration of justice and administration of judges.”, the representation says.
Advocate L. Victoria Gowri is presently the Deputy Solicitor General of India at the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. As per her firm's website, she is the first Woman lawyer to establish an independent office in the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. As per the representation, she is only the third woman lawyer to be considered for elevation from the Madurai Bench, after eighteen years of establishment of the Bench of the High Court.
Click here to read/download representation