The SC Collegium has recommended Saurabh Kirpal as a Judge to the High Court of Delhi, a historic first as Kirpal is self-professed gay. The Apex Court Collegium led by CJI NV Ramana took a decision on Kirpal's elevation last Thursday & sent the recommendation to the law ministry. Appointments to the constitutional Courts are usually a formality, though the law ministry has been known to take exception to some collegium recommendations.
Saurabh Kirpal's recommendation had a fair share of twists & turns. His name was in the reckoning for a judge's post since 2017 but was delayed due to his stance that he was gay. He has openly spoken about his sexual orientation & the collegium deferred taking a call on his elevation at least 4 times despite the HC's recommendation. When it did, the Centre seemed reluctant to okay it. The collegium recommendation this time, since it is a reiteration, should clear the way for his appointment as a Judge of the Delhi HC.
His elevation may open the doors for LGBT Lawyers to the country's constitutional courts & also reduce social prejudices against them. Kirpal is fairly young & could be elevated to the top court, which was once presided over by his father BN Kirpal.
Saurabh Kirpal was a junior lawyer in senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi's chamber before he was designated a senior advocate. He is an alumnus of St Stephens College, Delhi, and Oxford and Cambridge universities. He is known to be a very meticulous & hardworking lawyer in legal circles. Kirpal has always pushed the cause of the LGBT community & as one of the petitioners in the case was at the forefront of the legal battle to have Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminilised homosexuality, removed.
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