Law on Appointment of Judicial Officers Explained

Law on Appointment of Judicial Officers Explained 

Recently, 5 Judges' Bench has discussed issue of appointment of judicial officers. In case of Rejanish K.V. v. K. Deepa [2025] GCtR 1589 (SC), it has been held that "Judicial Officers who have already completed seven years in Bar before they were recruited in the subordinate judicial service would be entitled for being appointed as a District Judge/Additional District Judge in the selection process for the post of District Judges in the direct recruitment process". 

A person who has been or who is in judicial service and has a combined experience of seven years or more as an advocate or a Judicial Officer would be eligible for being considered and appointed as a District Judge/Additional District Judge under Article 233 of the Constitution.

Minimum age for being considered and appointed as a District Judge/Additional District Judge for both advocates and Judicial Officers would be 35 years of age as on the date of application.

If the appointment to the district judges cadre is to be made directly for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of district judiciary, any interpretation which restricts the competition and prohibits the otherwise meritorious candidates from zone of consideration will have to be eschewed.  

With the recent pronouncement, it appears that findings of Dheeraj Mor v. Hon'ble High Court of Delhi [2020] GCtR 936 (SC) have now become less significant. The 3-Judges' Bench then in the year 2020 had discussed ambit of A.233 of Constitution.