Who Is Justice GR Swaminathan? Madras High Court Judge Faces Impeachment Push Over Karthigai Deepam Ruling

Justice GR Swaminathan, a sitting judge of the Madras High Court, has returned to the spotlight after the DMK moved to initiate impeachment proceedings against him over a controversial order permitting the lighting of the traditional Karthigai Deepam lamp on Thirupparankundram hill near a dargah. The ruling has drawn political backlash, legal protests and wider debate over judicial conduct, secularism and executive compliance.

Who Is Justice GR Swaminathan?

Justice GR Swaminathan currently serves at the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. A native of Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, he completed his law degree from Central Law College, Salem, and Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai. He enrolled as an advocate in 1991 and practised for over two decades, including serving as Assistant Solicitor General at the Madurai bench in 2014.

He was appointed an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court in June 2017 and became a permanent judge in April 2019. Known for his outspoken style, Justice Swaminathan has delivered rulings on constitutional rights, civil liberties, prison reforms, religious practices and minority and intersex rights. In 2024-25, he drew attention by publishing a personal performance report stating he had disposed of 64,798 cases in seven years, describing it as an exercise in judicial accountability.

Karthigai Deepam verdict and impeachment move

The controversy stems from Justice Swaminathan’s order directing that the Karthigai Deepam lamp be lit not only near the Uchi Pillaiyar temple but also at the Deepathoon stone pillar on Thirupparankundram hill. The court held that the pillar stood on temple land and did not fall within the protected property of the nearby dargah. The judge said the ritual amounted to a lawful assertion of temple rights and directed security cover to ensure its implementation, quashing executive orders that cited law and order concerns.

The state government declined to implement the ruling, leading to protests, clashes and political escalation. On December 9, the DMK submitted an impeachment notice with 120 signatures to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, invoking Articles 217 read with 124 of the Constitution. The notice alleged lack of judicial impartiality, undue favour and verdicts influenced by ideology. Opposition leaders, including Kanimozhi, TR Baalu, Akhilesh Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, supported the move.

BJP leader K Annamalai criticised the impeachment bid as political pressure on the judiciary. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Tamil Nadu government’s challenge to the High Court order, adding another layer to an intensifying judicial and political standoff.