SC to hear petition challenging Victoria Gowri’s appointment as HC judge tomorrow

The Supreme Court on Monday reconsidered a plea for urgent hearing of a petition challenging the appointment of lawyer Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri as a judge of the Madras High Court, and advanced the date of hearing to February 7 from February 10.

The Central government had on Monday notified the appointment of the controversial advocate as an additional judge of the Madras High Court.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala took note of fresh mentioning of the case by senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, who drew the courts attention to the Centre’s notification appointing Gowri as an additional judge.

Also read: Why Victoria Gowri’s elevation as Madras HC judge has sparked a row

“Since we have taken cognisance of the development, we can list it tomorrow morning (February 7). We can constitute a bench,” the CJI-led bench said when the plea was re-mentioned.

Earlier in the day, the top court had agreed to hear on February 10 the plea challenging the appointment of Gowri. After the case was first mentioned in the forenoon proceeding, Gowri’s recommended elevation to the Madras High Court on January 17 triggered a storm in legal circles and on social media about her credentials due to her undisguised affiliation to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Gowri’s claims

An unverified Twitter account allegedly belonging to Gowri claimed in its bio that she was the National General Secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha.

A tweet from this handle, posted on August 31, 2019, says: “I just joined the BJP, you too can join the BJP and join hands to help create a New India!”

But it is her remarks against Islam and Christianity available on YouTube which have sparked particular concern.

In a video from February 2018, Gowri is heard saying: “Like Islam is green terror, Christianity is white terror.”

“Christian groups are more dangerous than Islam groups. Both are equally dangerous in the context of Love Jihad.”

In another interview from June 5, 2018, Gowri said that Bharatanatyam should not be danced for Christian songs.

Lawyers protest

A group of lawyers from the Madras High Court Bar Council have written to President Droupadi Murmu and the Chief Justice of India registering their protest against Gowri’s elevation.

Also read: Lawyers’ group challenges Victoria Gowri’s appointment as Madras HC judge

They said that her statements against minorities will dent the independence of the judiciary.

The signatories included senior advocates N G R Prasad, R Vaigai, Anna Mathew, D Nagasaila and Sudha Ramalingam.

Subsequently, some lawyers from Madurai wrote to the Chief Justice in support of Gowri.