Advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri took oath on Tuesday as an additional judge of the Madras high court while the Supreme Court was also hearing a case against her elevation citing her alleged hate speeches against minorities. The pleas against her appointment were quashed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning.

The case was heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud. Earlier, a bench of justices Sanjeev Khanna and MM Sundreshwas to hear the matter.

The hearing came on the day Gowri was scheduled to take oath as an additional judge. She was appointed along with four others on Tuesday.

On Monday morning, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had advanced the plea of three Madras HC lawyers opposing the appointment of Gowri for from February 10 to February 7 after senior advocate Ramachandran mentioned it again, saying the Centre has notified her appointment.

The petitioner lawyers, Anna Mathew, Sudha Ramalingam and D Nagasaila, in their plea referred to the alleged hate speeches made by Gowri against Muslims and Christians.

The lawyers cited instances where Victoria Gowriwas seen making hateful remarks against minority communities. The lawyers alleged that it reflected her “regressive views” and “deep-rooted religious bigotry”, thus making her “unfit to be appointed as judge of the High Court”. They referred to one of Victoria Gowri's interviews, hosted by the RSS in 2018, wherein she termed Christianity as "white terror” and had made a similar “distasteful diatribe” against Christians.

The plea said, "The petitioners are seeking appropriate interim orders injuncting the 4th Respondent (Gowri) from taking the oath of office as a judge of the High Court, in view of the ’grave threat’ to the independence of the judiciary.”

Meanwhile, advocate Gowri on Tuesday took the oath of office as the additional judge of Madras High Court. Following usual practice including reading out the Warrant of Appointment issued by the President, Gowri was administered the oath of office by Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice T Raja. Apart from Gowri, four others also took oath as additional judges of the High Court.

Gowri has been cleared as an additional judge of the high court and she will be up for confirmation as a permanent judge after two years when the Supreme Court collegium will assess her overall competence and suitability.

Following the ceremony, Madras High court advocates staged a protest after Gowri took the oath. According to reports, the protest was carried out under the aegis of All India Lawyers Union. 
 

Image source: ANI