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Supreme Court of India 2020-10-13 dismissed

ANIL BHARDWAJ vs THE HON’BLE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH & ORS

Bench: 2 — Ashok Bhushan, M.R. Shah

In Brief

The appellant, selected as a District Judge but rejected due to pending criminal charges filed by his wife, sought appointment after his acquittal. The Supreme Court held that acquittal after the selection process does not automatically entitle a candidate to appointment. Since the Selection Committee's decision was based on the pending case at the time of character verification and was not shown to be arbitrary or mala fide, it was valid. The Court emphasized that judicial officers must have impeccable character and integrity, and the employer can properly refuse appointment based on circumstances existing at the time of decision, even if subsequently altered by acquittal.

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