Opposition slams Ex-BJP spokesperson Aarti Sathe’s Bombay HC appointment, cites judicial concerns
Mumbai: The Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation to appoint advocate Aarti Arun Sathe as a judge of the Bombay High Court has triggered intense political debate and constitutional concerns in Maharashtra. Critics allege that the move compromises the doctrine of separation of powers, a foundational principle of India’s democracy.
The controversy stems from Sathe’s recent political past. A seasoned tax lawyer with over 20 years of experience, Aarti Sathe served as the head of the BJP’s legal cell in Mumbai and was officially appointed as the party’s spokesperson in February 2023. She resigned from that position and gave up her primary membership of the BJP in January 2024, citing "personal and professional reasons."
However, just 19 months after serving as a public representative of the ruling party, her name was recommended on July 28, 2025, by the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice B. R Gavai, for appointment to the Bombay High Court. This has sparked concerns about judicial neutrality and raised the spectre of political interference in judicial appointments.
Leading the criticism is NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar, who posted the BJP’s official appointment letter of Sathe on social media, questioning whether a person who publicly represented the ruling party can now deliver judgments free from political bias.
“Appointing a party spokesperson as a judge is nothing short of a betrayal of democracy,” Pawar said. “Can anyone assure us that such a person’s judgments will be entirely free of political motivation? Doesn’t this cast a shadow of doubt over the entire judicial process?” he asked.
Pawar further questioned whether this appointment violates the basic constitutional principle of separation between the executive and the judiciary. “Isn’t this an attempt to turn the judiciary into a political arena?” he remarked. “The common citizen comes to court expecting impartial justice. Such appointments shake the very foundation of that belief,” he added.
He clarified that his objections were not to Sathe’s professional credentials but to the timing and political context of her appointment. “This recommendation should be reviewed, and the Chief Justices must intervene to issue appropriate guidance,” Pawar urged.
The Maharashtra Congress echoed similar concerns. “Appointing a BJP spokesperson as a judge is the height of political mockery. It is an insult to democracy,” said a party spokesperson.
The BJP has staunchly defended the recommendation. “Sathe resigned from both the spokesperson post and the party over a year ago. She currently has no ties with the BJP,” said Navnath Ban, head of BJP’s media department.
BJP national spokesperson Keshav Upadhye went a step further, citing past instances of political figures being appointed to the bench. “Justice Baharul Islam was a Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress and was later appointed to the judiciary before returning to Parliament. What does the Congress and Rohit Pawar have to say about that?” he asked.
According to Upadhye, Sahthe’s selection was based entirely on merit and followed due process by the Collegium.
Currently, the Bombay High Court operates with only 66 judges out of a sanctioned strength of 94, highlighting the urgent need to fill vacancies. However, critics warn that addressing judicial shortages must not come at the cost of compromising the independence of the judiciary.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
