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Synopsis

The Supreme Court has directed to speed up filling up judges' vacancies in district judiciary in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued a slew of directions, taking up a 2006 plea filed by one Malik Mazhar Sultan.

After hearing amicus curiae senior advocate Vijay Hansaria and Registrar General MP HC, the bench ordered, "the High Court must lay down a comprehensive time schedule.in the advertisement specifying the date of the preliminary examination and consequential stages."

It noted that on August 22, 2023, 21 vacancies were advertised for direct recruitment of District Judges in the 25% quota and the date of the preliminary examination had recently been notified on December 3, 2023. 

"This indicates that over two months elapsed from the date of the advertisement before the date of preliminary examination was notified," the bench said.

The bench directed that, within a period of one week, the High Court should prepare and publish a time schedule for completing the assessment of the preliminary examination answer sheets and declaration of results; the dates for the written examination, for the assessment of answer sheets and for the declaration of results; the dates for conducting interviews; and notifying the select list for appointment.

The court also recorded that it had been agreed upon for a meeting between the Registrar General of the High Court and Chief Secretary of the MP to address the infrastructure issues pertaining to district judiciary including the allotment of suitable land, and a report would be submitted before December 7, 2023.

With regard to Punjab, the bench directed the Recruitment and Promotion Committee to fix a time schedule for completing the process for 25% direct recruitment quota and 10% quota in the cadre of district judges and 65% promotional quota in the cadre of district judges as expeditiously as possible and, in any event, by March 31, 2024.

The court also directed the Punjab government to issue a formal notification on or before December 7, 2023 for as 114 candidates have been recommended for the posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division) as the process has been completed.

It also sought a report before December 7, 2023 on infrastructure issues

For Haryana, the bench directed the High Court to expedite the process and to lay down a time schedule for its conclusion ; as meeting was fixed on November 7.

Case Title: Malik Mazhar Sultan & Anr Vs UP Public Service Commission Through its Secretary & Ors