SC Collegium rejects Centre’s objection to Kerala HC judge appointment
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court Collegium rejected the Centre’s objection to the appointment of advocate Manoj Pulamby Madhavan as a Kerala high court judge.
The Collegium led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud termed the Union government’s reasons as ‘vague and bereft of cogent grounds’.
The Centre described Madhavan as not fit for the position on the grounds that ‘Madhavan is a CPI(M) sympathiser and was appointed as government pleader in 2010 and 2016-2021 by the LDF Government.’
The Collegium further said that ‘Even otherwise, the mere fact that the candidate has had a political background may not be a sufficient reason in all cases,’ Deccan Herald quoted it as saying.
The Collegium, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B.R. Gavai, referenced the ‘controversial elevation’ of Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri as judge in Madras high court in 2023.
Gowri, having alleged links to BJP, had faced criticism for her controversial remarks against religious minorities.
‘For example, in the recent past, an advocate has been appointed as a Judge of the High Court though she was an office bearer of a political party prior to her elevation,’ the Collegium reportedly said.