
Supreme Court says govt may object to appointment of gay judge
Having sent the LGBT community back into the closet by re-criminalising homosexual acts, the Supreme Court tried to argue that Centre might object to appointment of a gay judge.
“It is possible that the executive might have an objection to the sexual orientation of a person being considered for appointment as a judge but the Chief Justice of India may be of the opinion that that would have no impact on his/her ability to effectively discharge judicial functions or the potential of that person to be a good judge,” justice Madan B Lokur said.
In the last 22 years, the SC collegium never appointed an openly gay judge while many countries, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa have had LGBT judges.
The top court’s conservative mindset could be gauged from its December 2013 verdict overturning the Delhi high court’s decision to water down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code — a law framed in 1860 that criminalises consensual sex among adult homosexual men.
Senior advocate Harish Salve on Saturday termed it a case of “judicial underreach” as the SC asked the LGBT community to go to Parliament to change the law, instead of declaring it unconstitutional.
The SC collegium chose not to elevate justice AP Shah — who wrote the Delhi HC verdict in Naz Foundation case to de-criminalise homosexual acts between consenting adults in private.
Salve told a TV channel that there were judges who were so conservative that they would “fall off their chairs” at the mention of the word homosexual.
Justice Lokur said: “The present political executive in India would perhaps not permit the appointment of a gay person to the bench.”
Salve rejected it saying, “I have met civil servants and politicians of great vision. We cannot stereotype executive like this.”

Padma awardee Shyam Sunder Paliwal turned Rajasthan village into oasis

Uttarakhand doctor credits blessings of patients for his Padma Shri award

Ruckus at ITO: Video of tractor trying to run over police emerges

Republic Day: India showcases military prowess amid border row with China

News updates from Hindustan Times: Farmers violate tractor parade protocol

Tractor rally: Several Delhi Metro stations closed as border situation becomes tense

Want peaceful tractor rally, confusion over routes led to disorder: Tikait

Writer, folklorist, former journalist Vinayak Khedekar wins Padma Shri

Tear gas shells fired at farmers trying to break barriers at Mukarba Chowk

R-Day: UP tableau displays Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, Deepotsava celebration

In Photos: Protesting farmers break barricades, deviate from tractor rally route

Rafale jet, woman fighter pilot steal the show on Republic Day

Karnataka Police allow 125 tractors to enter Bengaluru on Republic Day

Tractor march: Protesters flout undertaking; swords wielded, bus vandalised
