THE SC COLLEGIUM FINALLY RECOMMENDED THE APPOINTMENT OF ADVOCATE KIRPAL AS THE JUDGE OF DELHI HIGH COURT

After deferring a decision on the candidature of senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal since 2018, the Supreme Court Collegium has finally recommended the appointment of Senior Advocate Kirpal as a judge of the Delhi High Court. 

A resolution to this effect was passed according to a Collegium meeting held on November 11. The Collegium said that selecting an openly gay Advocate as an HC judge would mark a turning point in gay rights. 

He was first recommended in 2018 before deciding to take it up for consideration “after some time.” Thereafter, the SC collegium deferred its decision on three other occasions — in January 2019, April 2019, and August 2020. On September 6, 2018, after two days of deferring their decision, a five-judge bench read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalized homosexuality. 

Adv Saurabh Kirpal was counsel for two petitioners -Navtej Johar and Ritu Dalmia in the landmark case of decriminalizing homosexuality.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal