Advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan Appointed as Judge of Bombay High Court

Advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan Appointed as Judge of Bombay High Court

VoM News Desk | November 23, 2023 | 10:58 PM IST | Courts & Law | Follow on Google News

Advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan Appointed as Judge of Bombay High Court

Advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan Appointed as Judge of Bombay High Court

After an extended period of scrutiny and deliberation, advocate Somasekhar Sundaresan has been appointed as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court. This appointment, announced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, comes over 10 months after the Supreme Court collegium reiterated Sundaresan’s nomination, a significant step in India’s judicial appointments.

Path to Appointment

Sundaresan’s journey to this appointment began in October 2021, when the Collegium of the Bombay High Court first recommended him. The Supreme Court collegium subsequently endorsed this recommendation in February 2022. However, the process faced a setback when the government, in November 2022, raised concerns about Sundaresan’s social media activities, particularly his comments on matters under judicial consideration.

Collegium’s Defense of Sundaresan

Addressing the government’s reservations, the Supreme Court collegium robustly defended Sundaresan. On January 18, it stated that his social media views, which had been a point of contention, did not indicate any bias or alignment with politically motivated ideologies. The collegium emphasized that the expression of views on social media does not disqualify a candidate from holding a constitutional office, provided they demonstrate competence, merit, and integrity.

Remaining Nominations and Freedom of Expression

With Sundaresan’s appointment, attention now turns to other pending nominations, including advocate Saurabh Kirpal for the Delhi High Court and others for the Calcutta and Madras High Courts. The collegium’s decision underscores the principle that the right to free speech, as enshrined in Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, is a fundamental liberty that should not impede qualified individuals from serving in judicial capacities.

VoM News Desk

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