Rijiju supports view that advocates with political affiliation can become judges

New Delhi: Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday appeared to support the view that lawyers with political affiliation can become judges.

This comes amid a debate on the issue following a recent recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium.

Rijiju retweeted a post by Supreme Court advocate and former governor Swaraj Kaushal who said that in the past too, sitting members of Parliament representing political parties had been elevated as high court judges.

“Justices K S Hegde and Baharul Islam were both sitting Congress MPs when they were appointed as HC judges. Justice V R Krishna Iyer was a Cabinet Minister in Kerala. Once you take the oath of office, you have to live by the oath,” Kaushal had tweeted a couple of days ago.

Kaushal tagged a news report which said that Madras High Court advocates had urged the SC Collegium to recall its proposal to elevate Victoria Gowri, who had been associated with the BJP, as a high court judge citing her alleged remarks against minorities and political affiliation.

According to reports, another group of lawyers supported judgeship for her citing her hard work and commitment to the profession.

Her name was recommended by the SC Collegium last month for elevation as a judge of the Madras High Court.