Supreme Court refers issue of career stagnation of judicial officers to 5-Judge Constitution Bench

The Supreme Court connected Tuesday (October 7, 2025) referred issues related to vocation stagnation faced by little judicial officers crossed the state to a five-Judge Constitution Bench.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran passed the notation bid portion proceeding a plea filed by the All India Judges Association connected issues related to work conditions, wage scales, and vocation progression of judicial officers.

The CJI observed that a broad solution is needed to code the constricted promotional avenues disposable to those who articulation the judiciary astatine entry-level positions. The Bench said that divergent views had been expressed by respective High Courts and State Governments successful their responses to the notices earlier issued by the Supreme Court connected the issue.

“Some precocious courts person taken a presumption that connected relationship of the prevailing situation, the Judges who initially participate the work arsenic Civil Judge, Junior Division are not successful the presumption to scope up to the station of District Judges,” the CJI said.

The Bench took enactment of the ‘anomalous situation’ prevalent successful galore States, where judicial officers who statesman their careers as Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) often discontinue without ever reaching the station of Principal District Judge (PDJ), fto unsocial elevation to the High Court Bench.

However, Senior Advocate R Basant, representing the other view, opposed the proposal, contending that specified a determination would unfairly disadvantage meritorious candidates aspiring for nonstop recruitment arsenic District Judges.

During the hearing, the CJI acknowledged the concerns raised by some sides but emphasised the request to onslaught a just balance. "A young judicial serviceman who enters work astatine the property of 25 oregon 26 and retires lone arsenic an Additional District Judge volition people consciousness immoderate benignant of heartburning," the CJI said. "Some benignant of balancing retired is needed, immoderate mediate way, truthful that the ratio of medication of justness is enhanced," helium said.

"In immoderate case, to enactment the full contention to remainder and to supply a imperishable solution, we are of the considered presumption that the contented is considered by a Constitution seat consisting of 5 judges," the seat observed. The CJI said the eventual interest is to guarantee the ratio of the administration.

He recalled an anecdote shared by Justice Sundresh astir his instrumentality clerk who joined judicial work but resigned aft 2 years, since determination were constricted promotion opportunities.