Chennai: More than 100 Opposition MPs on 9 December submitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking permission to move a motion to remove Madras High Court judge Justice G.R. Swaminathan.
DMK parliamentary leader Kanimozhi, TR Baalu, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those who personally handed over the document carrying signatures of over a hundred lawmakers.
The notice, which calls for the judge’s impeachment on grounds of ‘misconduct,’ argues that Justice Swaminathan’s actions have raised serious doubts about his neutrality, transparency, and adherence to secular values. According to LiveLaw, the MPs have also accused him of showing ‘favouritism’ towards a senior lawyer and members of a particular community.
The signatories further claim that some of his judicial decisions appear influenced by a ‘specific political ideology,’ which they say runs counter to the secular foundations of the Constitution. They contend that such conduct undermines the expectation of impartiality from a sitting High Court judge.
Who Is Justice G.R. Swaminathan
Justice G.R. Swaminathan, a first generation lawyer born in 1968, built his practice in Chennai and later Madurai, serving as Assistant Solicitor General before his elevation to the Madras High Court in 2017. Known for landmark rulings on free speech, prisoners’ and animal rights, he has delivered over 52,000 judgments and orders to date.
What Sparked The Row
Justice G.R. Swaminathan’s recent directive to the Subramaniya Swamy temple authorities in Tamil Nadu to ensure that a lamp is lit at the deepathoon in Madurai has triggered fresh controversy.
The area, located on the Thiruparankundram hillock, has long been a point of dispute between the Hindu temple administration and an adjoining dargah.
In his 1 December order, Justice Swaminathan ruled that the Arulmighu Subramania Swamy temple was obligated to light the lamp at the stone pillar, noting that the act would not infringe upon the rights of the nearby dargah or the Muslim community.
When the directive was not carried out, he issued another order on 3 December allowing devotees themselves to light the lamp and asked the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to provide security.
The escalation prompted the DMK-led state government to approach the Supreme Court.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
