In Brief
This Supreme Court judgment addresses whether judicial officers can apply for District Judge posts reserved for practicing advocates with seven years' experience. The Court held that while the Constitution provides two separate recruitment streams—promotion from within the judicial service and direct recruitment from the Bar—judicial officers cannot simultaneously compete for positions earmarked for advocates, regardless of prior practice as lawyers. Once someone joins judicial service, they lose eligibility for the advocates' quota. The 25% of District Judge positions reserved for Bar candidates are exclusively for those currently in continuous legal practice. The Court overruled a prior decision permitting judicial officers to participate in the selection process for Bar-reserved positions, affirming that the constitutional scheme maintains a clear dichotomy between the two recruitment streams to preserve diversity and independence in the judiciary.
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