The Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation of advocate Aarti Sathe for a judgeship in the Bombay High Court has ignited a heated debate in Maharashtra, with opposition parties questioning her past affiliation with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sathe, a seasoned lawyer specializing in tax disputes, SEBI matters, and matrimonial cases, is accused of having served as a BJP spokesperson from 2023 to 2024, raising concerns about the impartiality of judicial appointments.
Opposition Raises Alarm Over Judicial Neutrality
Opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), have criticized the collegium’s decision, arguing that Sathe’s political background could compromise judicial fairness. The Maharashtra Congress unit posted on X, stating, “The height of shamelessness. Shockingly, BJP spokespersons are being selected as judges. The BJP has openly started a cruel mockery of democracy.”
निर्लज्जपणाचा कळस
चक्क भाजप प्रवक्त्यांची न्यायाधीशपदी निवड होत आहे. लोकशाहीची क्रूर थट्टा भाजपने उघड चालवली आहे.
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.@BJP4Maharashtra #INCMaharashtra #IndianNationalCongress #Congress #MaharashtraPolitics #bjpspokeperson #aaratisathe #mumbaihighcourt pic.twitter.com/AI5cy4z0k9— Maharashtra Congress (@INCMaharashtra) August 5, 2025
Similarly, NCP leader Rohit Pawar expressed strong objections, sharing evidence of Sathe’s past role as a BJP spokesperson. He wrote, “The appointment of a person who advocates for the ruling party from a public platform as a judge is the greatest blow to democracy. This will have far-reaching consequences on the impartiality of the Indian judicial system. Merely possessing the qualifications to become a judge and appointing politically affiliated individuals directly as judges—isn’t this tantamount to turning the judiciary into a political arena?” Pawar further questioned, “When a person appointed as a judge in a high court has a political background and has held a position in the ruling party, who can guarantee that the process of delivering justice will not be tainted by political bias? Doesn’t the appointment of a single political figure raise questions about the entire process of justice delivery?”
सार्वजनिक व्यासपीठावरून सत्ताधारी पक्षाची बाजू मांडणाऱ्या व्यक्तीची न्यायाधीश म्हणून नेमणूक होणं म्हणजे लोकशाहीवर केलेला सर्वांत मोठा आघात आहे. याचा भारतीय न्याय व्यवस्थेच्या निःपक्षपणावर दूरगामी परिणाम होईल. केवळ न्यायाधीश होण्याची पात्रता आहे म्हणून थेट राजकीय व्यक्तींना… pic.twitter.com/d3w2rIHNK2
— Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) August 5, 2025
BJP Defends Sathe’s Resignation and Credentials
In response, the BJP has dismissed the opposition’s allegations as unfounded, emphasizing that Sathe severed all ties with the party before her nomination. BJP Maharashtra media head Navnath Ban countered on X, stating, “False accusations should not be made recklessly. Aarti Sathe resigned from the position of BJP spokesperson on January 6, 2024. The resignation letter was submitted to the then state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar.” Ban shared Sathe’s resignation letter, which confirmed her exit from her roles as BJP Mumbai spokesperson, Head of the BJP Mumbai Legal Cell, and primary party membership, citing personal and professional reasons.
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Sathe, who comes from a family of legal professionals—her father, senior counsel Arun Sathe, is also noted for his political involvement—has a strong legal background, with expertise in tax disputes, Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) matters, and matrimonial cases. The BJP maintains that her qualifications make her a suitable candidate for the judgeship, and her resignation from the party ensures her impartiality.
