Mumbai | Correspondent
Advocate Aarti Arun Sathe, who had previously served as a spokesperson for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has recently been appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court. The Supreme Court Collegium approved this decision in its meeting held on July 28, 2025, leading to significant political and social reactions.
In this context, Karjat-Jamkhed MLA and young leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rohit Pawar, has strongly objected to the appointment and raised serious concerns.
A Major Blow to Democracy
Pawar stated that appointing a person who has publicly represented the ruling party’s views as a judge is a serious blow to democracy. He warned that this could have far-reaching effects on the impartiality of the Indian judiciary.
He also expressed concern about the threat this poses to the core principles of the Constitution, particularly the “separation of powers” — the autonomy of all three pillars: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.
Judiciary or Political Arena?
He further argued that merely being qualified should not justify appointing politically affiliated individuals as judges, as it could mark the beginning of turning the judiciary into a political battleground. The Constitution accepts the principle of separation of powers precisely to prevent power centralization and to impose checks on authority, he clarified.
Question on the Judicial Process
Pawar added, when a person appointed as a judge has previous associations with the ruling party, who can guarantee that their judgments will be free from bias? Will people still have faith in the judicial process?
Not Questioning Merit, but the Process
MLA Rohit Pawar clarified, “Our objection is not to the individual’s merit or qualifications. However, given their political background, common citizens may develop doubts about the judiciary’s impartiality. Therefore, there should be a reconsideration of the entire appointment process,” he demanded.
Appeal for Chief Justice’s Intervention
He also urged the Chief Justice to take note of the situation and provide guidance from the highest level in the judicial hierarchy. In order to maintain public trust in the judicial process, this matter should be taken seriously.
The entire nation is now watching to see what effect this appointment has on judicial proceedings going forward, and how the legal fraternity responds to this development.