New Delhi: The Supreme Court dismissed the petitions challenging Victoria Gowri’s appointment as Madras High Court judge on Tuesday, soon after her swearing-in ceremony. The apex court was hearing a plea for restraining lawyer Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri from taking oath as a judge of the Madras High Court after her appointment was notified by the Centre.
Victoria Gowri was sworn in as the additional Madras High Court Judge at 10:30 am on Tuesday. Additional judges are appointed for a period of two years. A special bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B R Gavai heard the matter. ‘We are not entertaining the writ petitions. Reasons will follow’, said Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
On Monday, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had in the forenoon put the plea of three Madras HC lawyers opposing the proposed appointment of Gowri for hearing on February 10 but later advanced it to February 7 after senior advocate Raju Ramachandran again mentioned it, saying the Centre has notified her appointment.
The petitioner lawyers, Anna Mathew, Sudha Ramalingam and D Nagasaila, in their plea referred to the alleged hate speeches made by Gowri against Muslims and Christians. The plea said, ‘The petitioners are seeking appropriate interim orders injuncting the 4th Respondent (Gowri) from taking the oath of office as a judge of the High Court’, in view of the grave threat to the independence of the judiciary.
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