New Delhi: The Supreme Court collegium, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, on Tuesday recommended the names of Justice Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri and four other additional judges for permanent judgeship of the Madras High Court.
Last year, the appointment of Justice Gowri as an additional judge of the High Court had stoked controversy as several members of the bar, before her elevation as an additional judge, had written to the CJI flagging her alleged hate speeches and affiliation to the BJP.
The apex court, in February last year, had rejected pleas seeking to restrain Justice Gowri from taking oath as an additional judge of the Madras High Court, saying a “consultative process” had taken place before her name was recommended by the collegium for appointment.
The collegium, comprising of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai, in its resolution on Tuesday, said on 29 April 2024, the collegium of the Madras High Court unanimously recommended the names of the five additional judges — Justice Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri, Justice Pillaipakkam Bahukutumbi Balaji, Justice Kandhasami Kulandaivelu Ramakrishnan, Justice Ramachandran Kalaimathi, and Justice K Govindarajan Thilakavadi — for appointment as permanent Judges of the High Court. It noted that the Chief Minister and the Governor of Tamil Nadu have concurred with the recommendation.
The collegium said in terms of the memorandum of procedure, a judge of the Supreme Court conversant with the affairs of the Madras High Court was consulted with a view to ascertain the suitability of the aforementioned judges for being appointed as permanent judges.
“Our sole consultee colleague is of the opinion that all the five Additional Judges are eminently suitable for being appointed as permanent ones. A Committee of two Judges of the Supreme Court constituted by the Chief Justice of India in terms of the Resolution dated 26 October 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium has assessed the judgments of the above-named Additional Judges”, the collegium said.
“With a view to assess the merit and suitability of the above Additional Judges for appointment as permanent Judges, we have scrutinized and evaluated the material placed on record including the opinion of our sole consultee-judge and the reports of the Judgment Evaluation Committee”, said the collegium, while recommending additional judges as fit and suitable for being appointed as permanent judges.
In a separate resolution, the collegium recommended the names of three judicial officers – R Poornima, M Jothiraman, and Augustine Devadoss Maria Clete– for appointment as judges of the Madras High Court.
“On 23 April 2024, the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues recommended the elevation of the above-named Judicial Officers. We have duly taken note of the views of the Chief Minister and the Governor of the State of Tamil Nadu. In order to ascertain the fitness and suitability of the above-named persons for elevation to the High Court, we have consulted a Judge of the Supreme Court conversant with the affairs of the Madras High Court”, said collegium said.
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