Openly gay advocate's name approved for Delhi HC judge post

The Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana has approved the proposal for the elevation of advocate Saurabh Kirpal, whose proposed elevation to the bench was a matter of controversy due to his sexual orientation, as a judge of the Delhi High Court.

Kirpal was recommended for elevation in 2017 by the Delhi High Court collegium, then led by acting chief justice Gita Mittal.

The proposal was then approved by the apex court’s collegium too.

The Centre, however, had raised objections against his recommendation citing his sexual orientation.

The controversy over his recommendation and reported objection by the Centre has been widely speculated in the judicial corridors during the last four years.

Besides this, the collegium has also resolved to reiterate its earlier recommendation for the elevation of four lawyers Tara Vitasta Ganju, Anish Dayal, Amit Sharma, and Mini Pushkarna, as judges in the Delhi High Court.

As per statements uploaded on the apex court website, the collegium, in its meeting held on November 11 has, on reconsideration, resolved to reiterate its earlier recommendation for the elevation of advocate Sachin Singh Rajput as a judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court.

One of the statements said the collegium has also resolved to reiterate its earlier recommendation for the elevation of Shoba Annamma Eapen, Sanjeetha Kalloor Arakkal, and Aravinda Kumar Babu Thavarakkattil, as judges of the Kerala High Court.

“The Supreme Court collegium in its meeting held on November 11, 2021, has, on reconsideration, resolved to reiterate its earlier recommendation for the elevation of following three judicial officers as judges in Calcutta High Court, Ananya Bandyopadhyay, Rai Chattopadhyay, and Subhendu Samanta,” one of the statements said.

“The Supreme Court collegium in its meeting held on November 11, 2021, has approved the proposal for elevation of Saurabh Kirpal, advocate, as a judge in the Delhi High Court,” it said.

As per the statements, the collegium has also approved the proposal for the elevation of judicial officer B S Bhanumathi and advocate K Manmadha Rao as judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Besides the CJI, Justices U U Lalit and A M Khanwilkar are part of the three-member collegium which deals with the appointment and transfer of judges in high courts.

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