Process set in motion to appoint 25 Addl district & Sessions Judges
Chandigarh, November 26
With the Punjab and Haryana High Court setting the selection process in motion, 25 posts of the Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ) are up for grabs for the practising advocates across Haryana.
These 25 posts, 23 actual and two anticipated, will be filled from among the advocates having a legal practice of at least seven years in the cadre of the Haryana Superior Judicial Service by way of direct recruitment under 25 per cent quota from amongst the eligible advocates. December 22 is the last date for applying for these posts. The aspirants should be in the age group of 35-45 years.
Serving judges, who entered the judicial service through the HCS (Judicial) examination, will not be eligible to apply for the direct recruitment as ADJs in view of a Supreme Court judgment.
“An advocate has to be in practice for not less than seven years at the time of appointment as ADJ. Members of the judicial service having seven-year practice before they joined the service or having combined experience of seven years as a lawyer and member of the judiciary, are not eligible for direct recruitment as ADJ,” a notification issued by the Registrar (Recruitment) of the high court said.
A two-stage selection process involving a written test and viva voce has been envisaged for the selection of judges. However, in view of the large number of candidates, the court is likely to hold an objective type preliminary examination to shortlist the candidates for the written examination.
Sources said the appointment of 25 ADJs would go a long way in mitigating the shortage of judges in the superior judiciary, which would ultimately reduce pendency of cases in the courts across the state as they would be posted at district headquarters.
To tackle the shortage of judges in the lower judiciary across the state, the Haryana Government recently initiated the process for “special recruitment” of 174 civil judges (junior division) following directions of the Supreme Court.
HCS (Judicial) officers not eligible
- Advocates in the age group of 35-45 years, with seven-year legal practice are eligible to apply for the posts of the ADJ
- Judges entering the judiciary through HCS (Judicial) not eligible for direct recruitment as ADJs
- A two-stage selection process (written test and viva voce) envisaged for the appointment of judges
- The appointment of 25 ADJs will mitigate shortage of judges besides bringing down the pendency of cases
Shortage of judges in lower judiciary
To tackle the shortage of judges in the lower judiciary across the state, the Haryana Government recently initiated the process for “special recruitment” of 174 civil judges (junior division) following directions of the Supreme Court.
