7 months ago
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A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court connected Tuesday (October 14, 2025) said it would see whether issues relating to the constricted promotional avenues disposable to entry-level judicial officers should beryllium referred to a larger Bench.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, K. Vinod Chandran, and Joymalya Bagchi was proceeding a plea filed by the All India Judges Association. The long-pending substance raises concerns implicit stagnation successful vocation progression and disparities successful wage and promotional opportunities among officers successful the subordinate judiciary.
On October 7, the apex tribunal had referred questions relating to vocation stagnation successful the little judiciary to a five-judge Constitution Bench for authoritative determination.
During the little hearing, elder advocator R. Basant pointed retired that 2 different Constitution Benches had already taken views connected akin issues. “Two Constitution Benches person taken a view. So we person to spot if a five-judge Bench tin spell into this. Your Lordship whitethorn see constituting a larger Bench due to the fact that the full workout cannot beryllium rendered futile,” helium submitted.
Senior advocator Siddharth Bhatnagar, appearing arsenic amicus curiae, informed the Bench that respective involution applications had been filed—both supporting and opposing the connection to assistance judicial officers enhanced promotional opportunities. He had earlier suggested reserving a definite percent of posts successful the cadre of Principal District Judges for officers promoted from the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) and Civil Judge cadres.
Taking enactment of the scope of submissions, the Bench said it would instrumentality a broad presumption of the contented of vocation stagnation successful the little judiciary. It appointed advocates Mayuri Raghuvanshi and Manu Krishnan arsenic nodal counsels for the respective sides to coordinate written submissions and hole compilations. The tribunal directed that written submissions beryllium filed by October 27 and scheduled oral arguments for October 28 and 29.
Earlier, Chief Justice Gavai had observed that a “comprehensive solution” was needed to code the constricted promotional avenues disposable to those entering the judiciary astatine the lowest level. The tribunal had besides noted “divergent views” expressed by respective High Courts and State governments successful their responses to notices issued connected the petitions.
The tribunal had flagged the “anomalous situation” prevailing successful galore States, wherever judicial officers who statesman their careers arsenic JMFCs often discontinue without ever reaching the station of Principal District Judge (PDJ), fto unsocial elevation to the High Court Bench.
