Can people expect justice against govt if former leader of ruling party is judge Rohit Pawar

    Mumbai, Aug 6 (PTI) NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court collegium to withdraw its recommendation clearing the name of former BJP spokesperson Aarti Sathe for a High Court judge's post, stating it would affect the impartiality of the judiciary.
    Can people expect justice when they approach the court against the government, and the judge happens to be a former member of the ruling party, he asked.
    Pawar, who is the general secretary of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), urged the collegium to withdraw its recommendation.
    The BJP on Tuesday clarified that Sathe had resigned from the party two years ago.
    "Appointing a person who has openly represented a political party on public platforms as a judge is one of the biggest blows to democracy. This will adversely impact the impartiality of India's judiciary," said Pawar at a press conference.
    Sathe, once a prominent face of the BJP in TV debates, may have resigned from her party post in 2024, but the judicial appointment process begins years in advance, he said.
    "If her name has been proposed in 2025, her interview must have happened around 2023. Was she still holding a party position then?" Pawar asked.
    "Will a judge with a political background deliver unbiased verdicts on issues like farmers' suicides, land scams or environmental concerns that may involve the government?" he asked.
    Pawar appealed to the government and the Chief Justice to remove Sathe's name from the list of recommended candidates.
    Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut stated that it was unfortunate that the judiciary had appointed Sathe.
    This amounts to tarnishing the great tradition of the Bombay High Court, Raut told reporters in New Delhi.
    Ever since the BJP government came to power, a similar case has happened in the Madras High Court, the Rajya Sabha member claimed.
    BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye on Tuesday said Sathe had severed all ties with the BJP two years ago.
    In the past, there were instances where Congress MPs became judges and MPs again, he said, adding that political association cannot be the sole reason for disqualification for appointment to the judiciary.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)