Stretching it too much, says SCon pleas against Gowri’s appointment

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it has a fairly robust scrutiny process and the petitioners who questioned the recommendation to appoint Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowrias an additional judge of Madras High Court may be stretching it too much by claiming that her views are antithetical to the values of the Constitution, it is hate speech pure and simple”.

A Bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna and B R Gavai declined to entertain the pleas challenging Justice Gowri’s appointment, noting that it would be setting a

“very wrong precedent” if it did so.The Bench told senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, representing the petitioners, that there is a difference between eligibility and suitability. As far as suitability is concerned one can say it can be made subject matter of writ petition, and the aspect of eligibility is the only issue as required under the Constitution.