SEEKS INTERVENTION TO END  DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SIKHS IN APPOINTMENT OF HC JUDGES

BOTH SIKH NAMES RECOMMENDED BY SC COLLEGIUM WITHHELD

PRESS RELEASE

Chandigarh Nov 23 – Shiromani Akali  Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal today wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking “his immediate and urgent intervention against the omission of two Sikh lawyer S Harmit Singh Grewal and  S. Deepinder Singh  in their appointment as judges in the Punjab and Haryana High Court despite  recommendations by the Supreme Court Collegium.”

Badal urged the Prime Minister to get this injustice and communal discrimination against Sikhs stopped by personally intervening in the matter.

In his letter to Modi, Badal described the issue as one of “great sensitivity”, Mr Badal said, “Singling out Sikh lawyers for non-appointment  would clearly lead to an impression that the omission is on communal considerations.  This impression is vindicated and strengthened by the observations of the Supreme Court itself asking the govt why only the Sikh lawyers have been left out and why a policy of “pick and choose” is being followed.”

Badal recalled that  the  Supreme Court Collegium had on Oct 17 forwarded to the Government the names of five outstanding  lawyers for appointment as judges in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.  While the names of the three of the five judges have been cleared by the Govt , both Sikh lawyers were denied their due appointment despite the SC Collegium’s recommendations.”

 Badal said that this was not the first time that such an omission had been made.”In March 2022 also, the Apex Court Collegium had recommended 12 names for appointment as High Court judges. First of all, only one of these 12 was a Sikh which by itself seemed so strange and unfair. On top of it , even the sole Sikh name recommended by the SC was withheld  while all other 11 were duly cleared. “

Badal said that it was only after an intervention by the Hon’ble Supreme Court that the name of the Sikh lawyer too was cleared a full year after the SC recommendation, seriously affecting his seniority. “

  “All these examples will create and strengthen the impression  of a systematic communal discrimination against the Sikhs even in  the most  sacred judicial sphere. This will not be healthy for the secular character of our great multicultural, multi-lingual and multi-religious country.”

Badal reminded the Prime Minister of “the unparalleled sacrifices made by the most patriotic Sikh quom for securing and preserving the Independence and sovereignty of the country. Acts of discrimination against the Sikh masses  always caused deep hurt and alienation to the community , he said, adding that “ Steps should be taken to remove the impression of any such  discrimination against minorities in general and the Sikhs in particular.