Govt plans exam to recruit 6,000 judges for lower courts

NEW DELHI: In what will wipe off the over 5,400 vacancies in judges’ posts in the lower judiciary, the Union law ministry is working with the Supreme Court to conduct a nationwide examination to recruit around 6,000 judges as a one-time measure.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) or another central agency may be involved in conducting the test, separately for district judges and subordinate court judges, in states and Union Territories, with due importance given to local languages for those opting for a particular state, on the lines of of NEET held by the CBSE for medical students. An all-India merit list will be prepared based on the proposed central selection mechanism.

The decision to hold the exam will be taken only after a directive is issued from the SC which is hearing a writ petition on the possibility of constituting an all-India judicial appointments mechanism, which was objected to by several states and high courts when the proposal was first mooted.

The initiative has got fresh impetus after CJI Ranjan Gogoi expressed his desire to fill up all judges’ posts immediately to bring down the huge pendency of cases in district and subordinate courts. Lower courts currently have pendency of 2.78 crore cases.

At present, all appointments of judges in district and subordinate courts are in the domain of state governments and high courts concerned. Inordinate delays in holding regular examination for recruitment of judicial officers for lower courts have led to huge vacancies.

In April last year, the law ministry had urged the SC to create a central selection mechanism. The SC converted the Centre’s proposal into a writ petition on May 9, 2017, and directed all states and HCs to file their responses and suggestions.

Though not all states and HCs are on board on creation of the central mechanism, the CJI seems to have expressed willingness to go ahead with the as a one-time measure to fill up all vacancies and reduce pendency, sources said. The appointments will finally be made by the respective state governments based on the all-India merit list and HCs will have administrative control.

The central selection mechanism is also intended to bring in uniformity in appointment of judicial officers across the country.