Supreme Court refuses to stay swearing-in of advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri

The Apex Court, while refusing to entertain a petition filed by a group of lawyers, said that her eligibility is not in doubt.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice S Khanna and also comprising Justice B R Gavai passed the order after hearing the petition filed by a group of Chennai lawyers challenging the appointment of Gowri as a Judge of the Madras High Court.

"We can’t go into the suitability of her appointment as an additional judge and doubt Collegium’s scrutiny process. The plea is dismissed," the Supreme Court said, in its order on Tuesday.

The bench said Gowri is taking oath as an additional judge and the Collegium will examine her performance for a minimum one year before confirming her as a permanent judge.

The Collegium on Monday took cognisance of the material against Victoria Gowri; and pre-poned the hearing to Tuesday on pleas challenging her appointment as Madras High Court Judge.

Gowri, a senior lawyer at the Madras High Court, was recently on January 17, recommended to be appointed as a Judge of the Madras High Court, by the Supreme Court Collegium.

This kicked off discussion in legal circles and on social media about Gowri's credentials and her alleged affiliation to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vis-a-vis her elevation as a judge to the Madras High Court.

Raju Ramachandranaenior lawyer appearing for the group of Chennai lawyers, had said that this matter is important and cited her (Gowri's) alleged statements against the minorities in the past.

She became controversial, after reports about her affiliation to BJP and also certain statements made about Muslims and Christians surfaced in the public domain. A section of the Madras High Court bar has sent a representation to the CJI urging the collegium to recall its proposal.