Senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, son of former Chief Justice of India BN Kirpal, could become the first openly gay judge of a constitutional court in the country if the Center accepts the recommendation of the Supreme Court collegium that reiterated his name for the judgeship in Delhi. Is. High Court. Kirpal, 50, who has been outspoken about his gay status, was part of the legal team that represented some of the petitioners from the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) group. The apex court decriminalized consensual sex between two adults of the same sex in private.
Kirpal studied law at the University of Oxford and did his Master of Laws at the University of Cambridge before returning to India after a brief stint at the United Nations in Geneva. He has been practicing law for more than two decades, including in the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.
The apex court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has reiterated its recommendation to appoint Kirpal as a judge of the Delhi High Court on November 11, 2021, rejecting suggestions that his ‘enthusiastic participation’ ‘ Correct issues in gays can result in potential ‘prejudice and prejudice’.
The collegium has noted that the proposal for appointment of Kirpal as a High Court judge has been pending for more than five years and needs to be expedited. Kirpal has also edited a book “Sex and the Supreme Court: How the Law is Upholding the Dignity of the Indian Citizen”, which attempts to explain and examine the impact of the law on various aspects of sex, sexuality and gender. Is.
A much sought after lawyer, she was recommended for elevation in 2017 by the Delhi High Court Collegium, then headed by Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal.
He was reportedly conferred the rank of Senior Advocate in March 2021 after receiving the votes of all the 31 judges of the Delhi High Court at that time. In a statement uploaded on the apex court’s website, the apex court collegium has said, “The fact that Saurabh Kirpal has been open about his orientation is a matter which goes to his credit.” As in, he hasn’t been incognito.” about their orientation. ,
The statement said that it appears from the letters of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) dated April 11, 2019 and March 18, 2021 that there were two objections to the recommendation made by the apex court collegium on November 11, 2021. Approval of Kirpal’s name, namely — (i) Saurabh Kirpal’s partner is a Swiss citizen, and (ii) he is in an intimate relationship and is open about his sexual orientation. The collegium, which dealt with both the objections, said Kirpal has “competence, integrity and intellect” and his appointment will add value to the Delhi High Court bench and provide inclusion and diversity.
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