Supreme Court protects judicial officers selected as district judges through direct recruitment

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ruled that its five-judge Constitution Bench judgment in Rejanish K V vs K Deepa & Ors (2025), which allows judicial officers with seven years of experience to appear for direct recruitment as district judges, will apply prospectively from October 9, 2025.

However, the court has carved out an exception to protect all selections and appointments that were completed or made prior to the judgment.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi clarified that direct recruits as well as serving judicial officers who were permitted to participate in the selection process and were selected or appointed will be fully protected.

“Such selected officers are entitled to appointment and if such appointed officers were relieved on the ground of eligibility, they are also entitled to seek reinstatement,” the bench observed.

The court, however, made it clear that no relief of deemed seniority can be granted on the basis of selections that were contingent on incomplete processes or anticipated appointments.

It referred to its earlier order dated March 11, 2026, which had given shape to this principle.

The order was passed on a miscellaneous application in a review petition connected to the 2020 civil appeal Dheeraj Mor vs Hon’ble High Court of Delhi & Ors.

The bench heard senior advocate V Giri and considered claims of similarly placed candidates.

In the Constitution bench judgment, the court had held that judicial officers who had completed seven years at the Bar before joining subordinate judicial service are eligible for appointment as District Judge or Additional District Judge through the direct recruitment quota.

It had then ruled that eligibility must be examined as on the date of application.

The bench further laid down that, to ensure a level playing field, an in-service candidate should possess a combined experience of seven years as a judicial officer and/or advocate.

It also fixed the minimum age for appointment as District Judge/Additional District Judge at 35 years as on the date of application for both advocates and judicial officers.

The Constitution bench had then declared that earlier judgments of the Supreme Court, including those from Satya Narain Singh to Dheeraj Mor, which took a contrary view, do not lay down the correct law.

The apex court had then directed all High Courts to review individual cases of judicial officers and take appropriate decisions in line with the law laid down by the Constitution bench.