GOVT ASKS SC TO RECONSIDER ELEVATION OF 20 NAMES AS HC JUDGES: REPORT

The government has asked the Supreme Court Collegium to reconsider 20 files related to the appointment of high court judges, including that of advocate Saurabh Kirpal, an openly homosexual person, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

The government expressed “strong reservations” about the recommended names as it sent back the files to the collegium on November 25, people aware of the procedure to appoint Supreme Court and high court judges said.

Out of the 20 cases, 11 were fresh cases and nine were reiterations made by the top court collegium, they said.

Kirpal’s name was recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by then Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana, for elevation as a Delhi high court judge.

Saurabh Kirpal is the son of former CJI BN Kirpal.

Kirpal’s name was sent by the Delhi high court collegium to the collegium in October 2017 for elevation as a high court judge. But the top court collegium is learnt to have deferred deliberations on his name three times. The government has returned all the names related to fresh appointments in various high courts on which it had “differences” with the SC, the people aware of the matter said.