Supreme Court to Begin Hearing on Judicial Officers’ Career Stagnation from October 28
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday announced that it will begin hearings on October 28 to address key issues related to determining seniority in the higher judiciary cadre.
A five-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai said the court would also examine all aspects concerning career stagnation faced by lower judicial officers nationwide, including the possibility of referring certain questions to a larger bench.
The bench — comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, K. Vinod Chandran, and Joymalya Bagchi — appointed nodal counsels from various sides to coordinate on matters relating to judicial officers’ career progression. The court directed that all written submissions be filed by October 27.
The bench was hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by the All India Judges Association, raising concerns over service conditions, pay scales, and promotional opportunities for judicial officers.
Earlier, on October 7, the Supreme Court had referred the matter to a five-judge bench, observing that a comprehensive framework was needed to address the lack of promotional avenues for entry-level judicial officers.
Chief Justice Gavai had noted that several high courts and state governments had expressed divergent views on the issue. “Some high courts have stated that, due to the existing system, civil judges at the junior division level rarely reach the post of district judge,” the CJI observed.
The court also highlighted the “anomalous situation” in many states where officers starting their careers as Judicial Magistrates First Class (JMFC) retire without attaining the position of Principal District Judge (PDJ), or elevation to the High Court.
However, senior advocate R. Basant, representing the opposing view, argued that reforms should not come at the cost of disadvantaging meritorious candidates seeking direct recruitment as district judges.
