The collegium’s recommendation comes nearly three years after it first considered Saurabh Kirpal’s candidature in 2018.
After deferring a decision on the candidature of senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal at least four times since 2018, the Supreme Court Collegium has finally recommended his name as judge of the Delhi High Court.
The decision was taken at a meeting held on November 11, a collegium statement said. Kirpal is gay and, if selected, his elevation will mark a key turning point in gay rights. Kirpal was counsel for two petitioners in the landmark case in which the apex court decriminalised homosexuality.
The SupremeCourt on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to “upgrade” its Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which eight persons including four farmers were killed on October 3. The court also said that it was in the process of finalising a former judge to monitor the SIT’s probe on a day-to-day basis.
“You have to upgrade the task force. The officers have to be of some higher grade,” Chief Justice of India N V Ramana told senior advocate Harish Salve, who appeared for the UP government.
The Delhi Police have set up facade lighting at two police stations in New Delhi district to highlight the heritage buildings for the public. Constructed during the British era, the two stations will now be decked in orange, pink, red and blue colours.
Senior officers said this was done to make the buildings “visually appealing” and create awareness about their history. The two buildings, Parliament Street and Tughlak Road police stations, are currently preserved by the ASI.