Merit Must Guide Judges' Selections

Justice CT Ravikumar, who retired as a Supreme Court judge on January 5 following a three-year tenure, on Wednesday underscored the primacy of merit in judicial appointments, dismissing the idea of reservation for marginalized communities in constitutional courts despite hailing from a Scheduled Caste background.

- By Utkarsh Anand

Malliga, 50, a resident of Tamil Nadu's Mettur Salem district, who collapsed in a queue for darshan tokens at Vishnunivasam. A complaint was filed by P. Srinivasulu, a Tahsildar from Balaiahpalli Mandal, stating that Malliga fainted amidst a rush of devotees.

Despite being rushed to Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital (SVRRGG), she was declared dead on arrival. Police registered the case and attributed the incident to overcrowding and the victim's health condition.

The second FIR, lodged by M. Jayaramulu, 61, a Tahsildar from Narayanavanam Mandal, reported the deaths of five more devotees.

According to the complaint, the victims were waiting for darshan tokens at Padmavathi Park near Ramanaidu School when a sudden surge in the queue caused them to fall.

They were rushed to SVRRGG Hospital, where medical authorities pronounced them dead.

In an interview, he also spoke to Utkarsh Anand about the evolving landscape of the judiciary, docket explosion, the role of AI, and the scrutiny brought about by social media. Edited excerpts:

Your journey from a modest background to the Supreme Court exemplifies resilience and determination. Do you believe the judiciary has enough mechanisms to ensure diversity on the bench, particularly representation from marginalized communities?

My simple answer is that the judiciary does have this mechanism, and I believe it will continue to exist. If it weren't so, I wouldn't have been in this position. But people from marginalized communities must make themselves fit enough to come within the zone of consideration. Regardless of background and source of appointment, everyone elevated as a judge has to perform the same duties. Therefore, competence and qualification are paramount. It's your responsibility to ensure that you are fit for the role, and it is then up to others to identify and elevate deserving individuals.