Justice GR Swaminathan: Who Is He? Why Have His Impeachment Motions Been Filed in the Lok Saha by Opposition Members?

Justice GR Swaminathan: Judge GR Swaminathan of the Madras High Court is embroiled in a political war as opposition MPs, headed by Kanimozhi Karunanidhi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), have filed an impeachment motion against him in the Lok Sabha. His actions “raise serious questions regarding impartiality, transparency, and the secular functioning of the judiciary,” they have said.

Parliamentarians claim that on August 12, they handed the President a 13-point proposal, but nothing was done. They have accused him of advancing ‘undue favoritism’ and ‘impartiality.’

Justice GR Swaminathan is who?
Born in 1968, Justice Swaminathan is a first-generation judge. His career began with 13 years of practice in Chennai. He changed his practice once the Madurai Bench was founded.

In 2014, he was appointed Assistant Solicitor General for the Madurai Bench after serving as standing counsel for a number of public sector initiatives.

In June 2017, he was appointed to the post of Additional Judge of the Madras High Court. Later, he was named a permanent judge.

The Madras High Court website states that he has written 52,094 rulings and orders, including some significant rulings on the rights of prisoners, free expression, animals, and people with disabilities.

What led to the motion of impeachment?
His December 1 ruling, which ordered Tamil Nadu officials to make sure a candle was lit at the deepathoon (pillar) atop Thiruparankundram Hill during the Hindu festival of Karthigai Deepam in Madurai district, set off the controversy.

The pillar is a community concern since it is next to a dargah. But according to Justice Swaminathan, the Arulmighu Subramania Swamy temple has an obligation to light the candle during the deepathoon.

But according to the officials, this went against the long-standing custom of lighting the lamp at the neighboring Deepa Mandapam, which has been followed for a number of years.

On December 3, Justice Swaminathan issued a new order allowing the devotees to light the lamp themselves since the previous one had not been enforced. Additionally, he gave the CISF instructions to guarantee security. In response, the DMK administration appealed to the Supreme Court.

Why does the DMK oppose Justice Swaminathan?
DMK has been at loggerheads with Justice Swaminathan on various verdicts. His May 2024 decree allowing angapradakshinam in Karur is one example of this.

In the practice known as angapradakshinam, followers roll over plantain leaves that have been thrown away after being consumed. The Division Bench’s 2015 ruling, which deemed the practice “inhuman,” was violated, according to the Opposition MPs.

YouTuber Savukku Shankar was taken into custody by the police due to his “criticism” of the state administration. According to the MPs, two influential people met Justice Swaminatha and asked him to refrain from making a merit-based decision about the detention order. However, he neither named them nor initiated contempt, which raises issues about his openness and judicial integrity.

His remarks at a book release event, in which he made fun of the Dravidian paradigm and pretended to be former Chief Minister Karunanidhi, were also mentioned by the opposition MPs in their submission.