Row over ex-BJP spokesperson’s elevation as HC judge; BJP rubbishes charge

Mumbai, Aug 5 (PTI) Leaders of the Congress and NCP (SP) on Tuesday objected to the appointment of lawyer Aarti Sathe as a judge of the Bombay High Court, claiming her previous stint as Maharashtra BJP spokesperson will impact the impartiality of the judicial system.

Rubbishing the opposition claim, state BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said Sathe resigned from the party last year.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said if a person who has been a BJP spokesperson becomes a judge, will the public receive justice and will the Constitution be protected.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar posted a screenshot of Sathe’s appointment letter as Maharashtra BJP spokesperson in February 2023 by the then state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Her elevation will impact the impartiality of the judicial system, Pawar said.

Upadhye said it has been one-and-a-half years since Sathe resigned from the BJP. “She now has no connection with the BJP. The Congress and Rohit Pawar are criticizing the collegium decision,” he added.

Rajya Sabha member and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Saket Gokhale also flagged the issue of the former Maharashtra BJP spokesperson being elevated as Bombay HC judge.

Gokhale said the collegium, in its meeting on July 28, 2025, approved the proposal for the appointment of Ajit Bhagwantrao Kadehankar, Aarti Arun Sathe, and Sushil Manohar Ghodeswar as judges of the Bombay High Court. PTI MR KRK VT VT