The Congress party is once again crying wolf, this time over the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation of advocate Aarti Sathe for elevation as a judge. Despite resigning from the BJP more than a year ago, Sathe is now the target of political mudslinging by an opposition desperate to stay relevant. Ironically, the same Congress has a long track record of parachuting its own members into the judiciary—with individuals like Baharul Islam, Ranganath Misra, and others serving both as judges and party loyalists. The hypocrisy is glaring, and the nation sees through it. The judiciary deserves better than Congress’ selective outrage.
Aarti Sathe’s Recommendation Triggers Hypocritical Outrage
In a fresh display of political hypocrisy, the Congress party has raised objections over the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation of advocate Aarti Sathe for elevation as a judge. The opposition’s entire criticism hinges on Sathe’s past political affiliations with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), even though she officially resigned from the party and all its posts in early 2024.
This uproar, however, reveals more about the Congress party’s selective outrage than about the candidate’s qualifications or suitability. If past conduct is to be the barometer of judicial neutrality, the Congress has a far murkier track record—with a legacy of appointing judges directly from its own ranks and even from active political roles.
The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, recommended Aarti Sathe for elevation on July 28, 2025. Sathe, a respected legal professional who specializes in tax, SEBI, and matrimonial matters, comes from a family of lawyers. Despite her resignation from the BJP over a year ago, opposition parties like the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) have latched on to her past role as a spokesperson, attempting to paint her appointment as political.
The criticism was spearheaded by Rohit Pawar, who shared a screenshot from a defunct social media account where Sathe had once acknowledged her spokesperson role. But BJP leaders quickly countered the claims, producing proof that Sathe had formally resigned from the party in January 2024. BJP Maharashtra’s media head, Navnath Ban, labelled the accusations baseless and misleading.
The real story, however, is not Sathe’s resignation but Congress’ desperate attempt to whip up a controversy where none exists.
Congress’ History of Politically-Tied Judicial Appointments
While the Congress raises alarm bells over Sathe’s former affiliation with the BJP, it conveniently forgets its own record of appointing judges with deep political roots. Here are just a few glaring examples:
1. Baharul Islam: A staunch Congress loyalist, he served two terms in the Rajya Sabha (1962, 1968) before being made a High Court judge in 1972. In a glaring example of partisanship, he was elevated to the Supreme Court in 1980 and resigned in 1983 to contest elections again as a Congress candidate.
2. Ranganath Misra: After serving as Chief Justice of India, Misra became a Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha between 1998 and 2004. His political leanings were never questioned by the Congress when it suited their narrative.
3. K.S. Hegde: Initially a Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Hegde later became a judge of the Mysore High Court and was elevated to the Supreme Court in 1967. His political career resumed after he was superseded in 1973.
4. V.R. Krishna Iyer: Though an Independent MLA, he worked closely with Congress-backed structures and even a part of crucial cases that supported Indira Gandhi’s political hold during controversial times.
5. Aftab Alam: Formerly affiliated with the CPI and later the Congress, Alam was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2007. Not once did the Congress question the propriety of these appointments.
Convenient Outrage, Selective Memory
It is clear that Congress has no moral high ground to question Aarti Sathe’s credentials. She resigned from BJP in 2024, a full year before her name was recommended. Her professional record is clean, and she has no ongoing political association. The opposition’s criticism seems rooted more in political insecurity than genuine concern for judicial impartiality.
The same Congress that embraced and elevated individuals from within its ranks into high courts and the apex court now pretends to be the guardian of judicial neutrality. Their selective memory and double standards are not just laughable but dangerous.
This isn’t the first time the Congress has used judicial appointments to push a political agenda. And if history is any guide, it won’t be the last. The party’s hypocrisy is exposed once again—wanting all the privileges of power but none of the accountability.
Political Opportunism in the Garb of Judicial Purity
Congress’ attempts to discredit Aarti Sathe’s appointment expose its own long-standing tradition of appointing political allies to judicial posts. When the Congress handpicks loyalists and installs them on the bench, it’s painted as visionary politics. But when a professional like Sathe, who has already cut ties with her former political affiliations, is recommended for elevation, it becomes a crisis of democracy.
This is not a fight for judicial independence. It’s a battle for narrative control. And Congress is on the wrong side of history once again.