RoseKort2620073 at 07:18, 23 April 2026

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{{Short description|Indian Judge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Justice
| name = G. R. Swaminathan
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| birth_date = 1968
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| term_start1 = 28 June 2017
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| office = [[Judge]] of [[Madras High Court]]
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'''G. R. Swaminathan''' is an Indian judge of the [[Madras High Court]]. Having been a practicing advocate since 1991, he was appointed as the assistant [[Solicitor General of India|solicitor general]] for the Madurai bench of the [[Madras High Court]]. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Madras High Court on 28 June 2017, and was later made a permanent judge of the Madras High Court in April 2019.

== Early and personal life ==
G. R. Swaminathan was born in 1968, and did his schooling in [[Thiruvarur]].<ref name="Hindu">{{cite news|date=29 June 2017|title=Six HC judges sworn in|language=en-IN|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/six-hc-judges-sworn-in/article19166553.ece|access-date=11 December 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref name="Profile">{{cite web|title=Present judges|url=https://hcmadras.tn.gov.in/present_judges.php|access-date=11 December 2021|work=[[Madras High Court]]}}</ref> He completed his [[Bachelors in Law]] in 1990.<ref name="Profile"/> In 2015, he was a part of [[Hindu Munnani]], a [[hindutva]] based organisation.<ref>{{cite web|date=25 February 2015|title=Man who accompanied Perumal Murugan to 'peace' talks narrates how heart breaking it was|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/man-who-accompanied-perumal-murugan-peace-talks-narrates-how-heart-breaking-it-was-22750|access-date=11 December 2021|work=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref>

Swaminathan is married to Kamakshi, and the couple have a daughter and a son.<ref name="Profile"/>

== Career ==
Swaminathan started practicing as an advocate in 1991, and later set up an independent practice in [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] in 1997. He relocated to [[Madurai]] after the Madurai Bench of the [[Madras High Court]] was established in 2004. In 2014, he was appointed as the assistant [[Solicitor General of India|solicitor general]] for the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court.<ref name="Hindu" /> He was appointed as an additional judge of the Madras High Court on 28 June 2017,<ref name="Profile" /> and was appointed as a permanent judge of the Madras High Court in April 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last=S|first=Mohamed Imranullah|date=6 April 2019|title=Six HC judges made permanent|language=en-IN|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/six-hc-judges-made-permanent-madras-high-court-union-ministry-of-law-and-justice/article26751447.ece|access-date=11 December 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In 2019, he reported that he has disposed of 18,944 cases individually and 2,534 cases as part of various benches since his appointment to the High Court.<ref name="Hindu1">{{cite news|last=S|first=Mohamed Imranullah|date=1 July 2019|title=Self-critical High Court judge raises the bar|language=en-IN|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/self-critical-high-court-judge-raises-the-bar-justice-gr-swaminathan/article28237249.ece|access-date=11 December 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> As per statistics provided by the High Court, he had disposed of 52,094 cases till 2025.<ref name="Profile"/> He is due to retire from service on 31 May 2030.<ref name="Hindu1"/>

=== Cases ===
;LGBT rights case (2019)
In 2019, Swaminathan was the sitting judge on the [[Arun Kumar v. Inspector General of Registration]] case. The judgement recognised a [[trans woman]] as a "bride" within the meaning of the [[Hindu Marriage Act, 1955|Hindu Marriage Act 1955]] and prohibited [[Intersex medical interventions|genital-normalizing surgery]] for [[intersex]] infants and children except on life-threatening situations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tamil Nadu Government Order Banning Surgeries on Intersex Infants (2019) |url=https://translaw.clpr.org.in/legislation/tamil-nadu-government-order-banning-surgeries-on-intersex-infants-2019/ |access-date=15 September 2023 |work=South Asian Translaw Database |language=en-US}}</ref> The verdict was cited in multiple court cases including the case on recognition of same sex marriage in the [[Supreme Court of India]].<ref>{{cite web|date=4 November 2023|title=When an Indian court allowed a LGBTIQ+ marriage|url=https://cjp.org.in/when-an-indian-court-allowed-a-lgbtiq-marriage/|access-date=11 December 2023|work=CJP}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=29 April 2019|title=Indian Court Decides In Favor of Informed Consent Rights for Intersex People|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/04/29/indian-court-decides-favor-informed-consent-rights-intersex-people|access-date=11 December 2023|work=The Human Rights Watch, The United States}}</ref> The judgement was cited in a [[office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]] report,<ref>{{cite web|date=4 November 2023|title=The United Nations OHCHR-technical-note-rights-intersex-people.pdf|url=https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/ohchr-technical-note-rights-intersex-people.pdf|access-date=1 June 2024|work=[[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]]}}</ref> and was highlighted in the intersex legal mapping report released by the [[International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association]] in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|title=Intersex legal mapping report (2023)|url=https://ilga.org/resources/intersex-legal-mapping-report-2023/|access-date=1 December 2023|work=[[International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association]]}}</ref>

;Maridhas sedition case (2021)
In December 2021, when Swaminathan dismissed a sedition case against [[Youtuber]] [[Maridhas Malaichamy|Maridhas]], he was targeted by a section of [[social media]] users for his supposed [[right wing]] affiliations. They pointed to his alleged participation in an event organised by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) in 2016, and his appearance in defence of [[Jayendra Saraswati]] of the [[Kanchi Mutt]] in a case against the [[Government of Tamil Nadu|state government]] as evidence of his inclinations. However, critics and lawyers pointed out that the judgement was based on technical grounds, and has precedence in similar cases in the past. They also argued that Swaminathan appeared as a counsel in defence of Perumal Murugan, in a case against the release of his book ''Madhorubagan'' by Hindutva organisations.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mohapatra|first=Samhati|date=16 December 2021|title=Why Madras HC struck down sedition case against YouTuber Maridoss|url=https://thefederal.com/states/south/tamil-nadu/why-madras-hc-struck-down-sedition-case-against-youtuber-maridoss/|access-date=23 December 2021|work=The Federal}}</ref>

;Passport case (2022)
In July 2022, Swaminathan lauded BJP leader K. Annamalai during a court case regarding the issuance of passports to people using forged documents. Later, a lawyer representing [[International Association of Democratic Lawyers]], wrote to the chief justice of the Madras High Court, demanding the dismissal of Swaminathan, based on the premise that the court must be impartial and cannot endorse any political party, and asserted that Swaminathan's continued position is a threat to the autonomy of the judiciary as it would instil fear among people to express concerns against the BJP.<ref name="NC">{{Cite web |date=3 August 2022 |title=Justice GR Swaminathan Accused of Touting BJP |url=https://www.newsclick.in/Justice-GR-Swaminathan-Accused-Touting-BJP |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=NewsClick}}</ref><ref name="HTACC">{{cite web |title=Lawyer seeks resignation of madras HC judge for praising BJP's TN chief |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lawyer-seeks-resignation-of-madras-hc-judge-for-praising-bjp-s-tn-chief-101659119265779.html |work=[[The Hindustan Times]] |date=29 July 2022 |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://lawbeat.in/top-stories/judiciary-cant-support-any-political-partyleader-lawyer-seeks-resignation-justice-gr | title='Judiciary can't support any political party/Leader': Lawyer seeks resignation of Justice G.R. Swaminathan for praising TN BJP President | work=Law Beat | first=Salil | last=Tiwari }}</ref>

;Vanchinathan case (2025)
In July 2025, Vanchinathan, the Tamil Nadu coordinator for the People's Rights Protection Centre, sent a letter to the chief justice of India detailing 15 accusations against Swaminathan including a preferential treatment, caste prejudice, and political partisanship against advocates from a particular community, and right-wing ideologues.<ref name="NM">{{cite web |last=Azeefa Fathima |first=Dhanya Rajendran |date=27 July 2025 |title=Madras High Court Judge Facing Caste Bias Allegations Initiates Contempt Proceedings Against Advocate |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/justice-swaminathan-hears-contempt-plea-over-caste-bias-charges-against-himself |access-date=26 December 2025 |work=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=26 July 2025 |title=Madras HC Judge Summons Advocate for Alleging Casteist, Communal Bias by Him: Here's What the Lawyer Had Said |url=https://thewire.in/law/madras-high-court-justice-swaminathan-summons-advocate-vanchinathan |access-date=26 December 2025 |work=[[The Wire (India)|The Wire]]}}</ref><ref name="FR">{{cite web |last=Krishnan |first=Pramila |date=28 July 2025 |title=Madras HC judge hears case against self, calls advocate 'comedy piece' |url=https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/tamil-nadu/madras-hc-judge-hears-case-against-self-calls-advocate-comedy-piece-199101 |access-date=6 December 2025 |work=The Federal}}</ref> The letter further said that this caused unease and concern among lawyers, especially those from marginalized communities, and called on the Supreme Court to launch a formal investigation, arguing that the judge's conduct was blurring the boundary between impartial judging and ideological activism.<ref name="HT">{{cite news | last=Chandrababu | first=Divya | title=Madras chief justice to decide on lawyer who accused judge of casteist bias | work=[[The Hindustan Times]] | date=29 July 2025 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/madras-chief-justice-to-decide-on-lawyer-who-accused-judge-of-casteist-bias-101753730969773.html | access-date=26 December 2025}}</ref>

Taking cognisance of the allegations, a two judge bench consisting of judges Swaminathan, and K Rajasekar, initiated ''[[suo moto]]'' proceedings against Vanchinathan. The judges considered the letter contemptuous and ordered Vanchinathan to appear on court 28 July 2025, to declare his position on the same. A section of lawyers and activists raised concerns about how the judges obtained access to a confidential letter intended solely for the Supreme Court,<ref name="NM" /><ref name="FR" /> and organised demonstrations in support of Vanchinathan.<ref>{{cite news | title=TN advocates stage protests against contempt of court action against colleague | work=[[The Week (India)|The Week]] | date=28 July 2025 | url=https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2025/07/28/mes21-tn-advocates-protest.html | access-date=26 December 2025}}</ref> Eight former judges of the Madras High Court urged the judges to abandon the proposed contempt proceedings against Vanchinathan, asserting that lodging a complaint against a judge does not constitute contempt of court.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 July 2025 |title=Retired judges urge Madras HC to drop contempt move against advocate Vanchinathan |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2025/Jul/27/retired-judges-urge-madras-hc-to-drop-contempt-move-against-advocate-vanchinathan |access-date=26 December 2025 |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> At his appearance at the court, as Vanchinathan declined to provide an oral response and instead demanded a formal written directive from the bench, Swaminathan is said to have called him a "comedy piece" and labeled him as a "coward".<ref name="HT" /><ref>{{cite news |date=29 July 2025 |title='A comedy piece': Madras HC judge's remark against advocate sparks row; Bar protest |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/madras-high-court-judges-remark-against-advocate-sparks-row-c99ykbfv |access-date=26 December 2025 |work=[[Mathrubhumi]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Azeefa Fathima |author2=Balakrishna Ganeshan |date=28 July 2025 |title='You are a comedy piece': Madras HC Judge attacks advocate over caste-bias allegations |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/you-are-a-comedy-piece-madras-hc-judge-attacks-advocate-over-caste-bias-allegations |access-date=26 December 2025 |work=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref>

;Vedic conference (2025)
In the 17th annual talent parade of Vedic scholars held in [[Chennai]] on 30 July 2025, Swaminatan recounted a case from his days as a practicing lawyer. He said that he helped overturn the conviction of his friend, a [[Vedic scholar]], who had falsely confessed to have caused a fatal accident to protect his sister, who had actually caused the accident that resulted in a death of a man. He said that though his friend was convicted by a lower court, he was acquitted by a higher court as none of the [[Eyewitness testimony|eyewitnesses]] identified him as the driver. He described the outcome as an example of "If you protect the [[Vedas]], Vedas protect you" and called it a turning point in his [[Spirituality|spiritual]] outlook. The speech attracted attention against the backdrop of a separate controversy, where an advocate accused him of caste bias, prompting the Madras High Court to refer the matter to the chief justice.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vedas protect those who nurture it: Justice G.R. Swaminathan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/vedas-protect-those-who-nurture-it-justice-gr-swaminathan/article69873246.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730105230/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/vedas-protect-those-who-nurture-it-justice-gr-swaminathan/article69873246.ece |archive-date=30 July 2025 |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=[[The Hindu]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=30 July 2025 |title=Vedas protect those who nurture them, says Madras HC judge GR Swaminathan |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/vedas-protect-those-who-nurture-them-says-madras-hc-judge-gr-swaminathan/articleshow/122991781.cms?from=mdr |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=30 July 2025 |title='If you protect the Vedas, Vedas protect you': Madras High Court judge, in news for courtroom drama, recounts case with a twist |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/if-you-protect-the-vedas-vedas-protect-you-madras-high-court-judge-in-news-for-courtroom-drama-recounts-case-with-a-twist-10158229/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730020629/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/if-you-protect-the-vedas-vedas-protect-you-madras-high-court-judge-in-news-for-courtroom-drama-recounts-case-with-a-twist-10158229/ |archive-date=30 July 2025 |access-date=4 December 2025 |work=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref>

;Tirupparankundram case (2025)
In December 2025, Swaminathan was the hearing judge in a case that involved the lighting up of a [[diya (lamp)|lamp]] on a pillar atop the hillock at [[Tirupparankundram]] during the [[Karthigai Deepam]] festival. He permitted the lighting of a lamp on the pillar additionally based on an individual petition, while the authorities of the [[Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thiruparankundram|Subramaniya Swamy Temple]] had lighted the lamp at a different location over the years. The state government appealed against the judgement, stating that the judgement changed a longs standing practice, and contributed to a precarious law and order situation. The judgement, and the failure to implement the same by the government, subsequently led to various protests, counter protests, [[contempt of court]] cases, and further appeals by the state government in the Supreme Court.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/justice-swaminathan-thiruparankundram-deepam-controversy-ggb6jrgp|title=Justice Swaminathan's Deepam order sparks appeals: What is the case about|work=[[Mathrubhumi]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

On the backdrop of Swaminathan's judgement on the Tirupparankundram case, on 9 December 2025, around 120 members of parliament from the [[Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance|opposition bloc]] submitted an [[impeachment]] motion against Swaminathan to [[Om Birla]], the [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Deepam row: INDIA bloc MPs move impeachment motion against Madras HC judge Swaminathan|work=The Federal| date=9 December 2025|url=https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/tamil-nadu/india-bloc-mps-impeachment-motion-against-madras-hc-judge-gr-swaminathan-219920|access-date=24 December 2025}}</ref> They accused Swaminathan of partiality towards lawyers from a particular community, especially those hailing from the [[Brahmin]] caste, and those associated with right-wing political ideologies,<ref>{{cite news|title=INDIA bloc MPs wrote to President, then CJI about Madras High Court judge Swaminathan months before Thirupparankundram row|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=10 December 2025|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-bloc-mps-wrote-to-president-then-cji-about-madras-hc-judge-months-before-thirupparankundram-row/article70381232.ece|access-date=23 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Stalin|first=J Sam Daniel|title=Bias To Judicial Indiscipline: Why Opposition MPs Want Justice GR Swaminathan Impeached|work=[[NDTV]]|date=12 December 2025| url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bias-to-judicial-indiscipline-why-opposition-mps-want-justice-gr-swaminathan-impeached-9795456|access-date=24 December 2025}}</ref> and asserted that such conduct violated the secular tenets embedded in the [[Constitution of India]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Ratna|title='RSS agenda, favours Brahmins': The controversial career of a Madras HC judge under impeachment fire|work=[[Scroll.in]]|date=19 December 2025|url=https://scroll.in/article/1089320/rss-agenda-favours-brahmins-the-controversial-career-of-a-madras-hc-judge-under-impeachment-fire|access-date=24 December 2025}}</ref> On 12 December 2025, 56 former judges of the Supreme Court issued an open letter expressing their opposition to the impeachment motion, and urging the parliamentarians to withdraw the motion. They called it a "brazen attempt to browbeat judges who do not fall in line with ideological and political expectations of a particular section of society", and if this is allowed to continue, "it will cut at the very roots of our democracy and the independence of the judiciary".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/madras-high-court-judge-justice-gr-swaminathan-impeachment-motion-56-ex-judges-write-joint-letter-9797023|title=
"Attempt To Browbeat": 56 Ex-Judges Slam Opposition's Judge Impeachment|date=15 December 2025|access-date=19 December 2025|work=[[NDTV]]}}</ref> On 20 December, another 36 former judges issued an open statement in support of Swaminathan, and urged the parliamentarians to reject the motion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/36-ex-judges-slam-opposition-move-to-impeach-justice-swaminathan/article70419178.ece|title=36 ex-judges slam Opposition move to impeach Justice Swaminathan|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=20 December 2025|access-date=20 December 2025}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swaminathan, G.R.}}
[[Category:Indian judges]]
[[Category:Judges of the Madras High Court]]
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

G. R. Swaminathan - Revision history

RoseKort2620073 at 07:18, 23 April 2026