Supreme Court directs government to produce chart on each name reiterated for judicial appointments

The brief hearing began with Mr. Venkataramani pressing for a week’s adjournment, saying he would need more time to get “some responses” on some of the pending High Court appointments. The Chief Justice agreed, saying some appointments in the pipeline were “expected to be cleared” soon.

But senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Amit Pai, for petitioners, raised the issue of several High Courts functioning with Acting Chief Justices for “months together”.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan said reiterated names must be appointed by the government immediately.

“There are a very large number of reiterations, including that of senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal… We have in our petitions pointed out 12 of them,” he submitted.

Mr. Kirpal, who if appointed would be India’s first openly gay High Court judge, was recommended by the Delhi High Court Collegium in October 2017. The Supreme Court Collegium recommended him for appointment as Delhi High Court judge in November 2021 and had reiterated his name in January 2023. The government had objected to his strong advocacy of gay rights.

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