Ex-BJP spokesperson becomes Bombay HC judge, political past sparks debate
Aarti Sathe, who was once the BJP's Maharashtra spokesperson, has just been appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court.
Her appointment was finalized after getting the nod from the judiciary.
Political past raises eyebrows
Sathe's recent political background has sparked debate. Leaders from NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena worry that picking someone so recently active in politics could hurt judicial neutrality.
NCP MLA Rohit Pawar even called it a "blow to democracy," urging the Supreme Court to take another look.
Sathe's legal journey
Sathe graduated from Mumbai's Government Law College and focuses on tax law.
Her father was also involved with the BJP back in the '80s.
She stepped down from her party role in January 2024 to return to full-time legal practice—leading up to this new chapter as a judge.
BJP responds to criticism
The BJP says there's nothing unusual here—pointing out that Sathe left her party post over 19 months ago and that judges with political ties have been appointed before.
"This isn't an exception," said one senior party leader, asking people to see it in context.
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