Supreme Court Rules Judicial Officers with 7 Years’ Bar Experience Eligible for ADJ Under Bar Quota
CJI B.R. Gavai led Constitution Bench rules that judicial officers who practiced as advocates for seven years before joining the bench can be appointed as Additional District Judges through bar quota.
New Delhi, Oct 9: The Supreme Court of India on Thursday ruled that judicial officers who have completed seven years of practice as advocates prior to joining the bench are eligible for appointment as district judges against vacancies reserved under the bar quota.
A five-judge Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh, Aravind Kumar, S.C. Sharma, and K. Vinod Chandran, delivered two separate judgements confirming that judicial officers of the subordinate judiciary can compete in the direct recruitment process reserved for advocates.
“Judicial officers who have already completed seven years at the bar before entering service will be entitled to be appointed as district judges,” the CJI stated, adding that the constitutional interpretation must be organic rather than pedantic.
Justice Sundresh, in a concurring verdict, emphasized the importance of nurturing talent early, warning that ignoring eligible candidates could lead to mediocrity and weaken the judicial structure. He noted, “Greater competition will serve a better quality.”
The Court directed state governments, in consultation with their respective high courts, to amend recruitment rules in line with the judgement within three months.
The verdict, reserved on September 25, was based on over 30 petitions and addresses questions under Article 233 of the Constitution, which governs appointments of district judges. A key issue considered was whether a judicial officer with seven years of prior bar experience is entitled to appointment as an Additional District Judge (ADJ) under the bar quota.
