Amul Thapar, an Indian-American legal luminary and US President Donald Trump’s first nominee to a powerful appeals court, has been confirmed by the US Senate to the key judicial position.
Mr Thapar, the first Indian-American to be nominated by Mr Trump for the 6th US circuit court of appeals, was confirmed by the Senate 52-44 in a vote on party lines.
With this, 48-year-old Mr Thapar becomes the second South Asian judge on the US circuit court of appeals, which hears appeals from Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan.
“Judge Thapar will make an outstanding addition to the US appeals court for the sixth circuit,” said senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday.
Mr Thapar, currently a US district court judge, was nominated by Mr Trump on March 21. Mr Thapar was also among the 20 judges whose names Mr Trump had released during his presidential campaign as shortlisted candidates for his Supreme Court nominees.
