In Brief
Two judicial officers in Delhi's subordinate judiciary challenged strict service qualification rules for promotion to the Higher Judicial Service. The Court noted that in Delhi's High Court, judges of lower and senior civil judge grades perform identical duties, differing only in pay. The rigid requirement of 10 years total service (5 years at junior level, 2+ years at senior level) to compete for faster promotion through limited examination had frustrated the scheme's purpose. The Court modified the rules to allow promotion with 7 years service (5 + 2) or 10 years at junior level, enabling meritorious junior officers to compete for quicker advancement in Delhi High Court alone.
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