SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
M.N. VENKATACHALIAH, C.J.I. AND S. MOHAN, J.
All India Judges Association and others, Appellants
Versus
Union of India and others, Respondents.
I.A. Nos. 14-16 of 1994, in Review Petn. No. 249 of 1992 in Writ Petn. No. 1022 of 1989, D/-12-08-1994.
Advocates appeared
Mr. Aruneshwar Gupta, Mr. M.K.D. Namboodry, 2772 Mr. M. Veerappa, Mr. T.V.S.N. Chari, Mr. B.B. Singh, Ms. A. Subhashini, Mr. Anip Sachthey, Mr. S.K. Agnihotri, Mr. S.R. Setia, Mr. E.C. Agrawala, Mr. A.T.M. Sampath, Mr. B. Parthasarthy, Mr. A.K. Panda, Mr. D.N. Mukherjee, Mr. Gopal Singh, Mr. Krishnamurthy Swami, Ms. H. Wahi, Mr. A. S. Bhasme, Mr. Pravir Choudhary, Mr. V.K. Krishnamurthy, Ms. Bina Gupta, Mr. P. K. Manohar, Mr. S.K. Mehta, Mr. M.T. George, Mr. J. D. Jain, Mr. A. Sharan, Mr. S.K. Nandy, Mr. R. Mohan, Mr. Sanjay Parikh, Ms. Sheela Goyal, Mr. M.M. Kashyap, Mr. I. Makwana, Mr. M.A. Krishnamurthy, Mr. D. K. Sinha, Mr. T.C. Sharma, Mr. E.M.S. Anam and Ms. Malini Poduval, Advocates for the appearing parties.
Kerala Judicial Service Rules, 1991 - Rule 5(3) - Kerala Criminal Judicial Service Rules, 1973 - Recruitment from Bar and not for Appointment by Transfer from Service - Qualification of Appointment - Seeking Clarifications - A. No. 15 has been filed by Kerala High Court Staff Association and others again seeking clarifications that under Kerala Subordinate Magisterial Service Rules, 1962, appointment to the cadre of Sub-Magistrate, the lowest rung in judicial hierarchy, was by transfer from among prescribed categories. These rules along with Kerala Civil Judicial Service Rules, 1973 and Kerala Criminal Judicial Service Rules, 1973 came into force with effect Both these rules provided for appointment of service personnel to the lowest rung in each service from out of category of persons having experience in law through Courts without actually, having practice at Bar. On and Kerala Judicial Service Rules integrated both the services i.e. Kerala Civil Judicial Services and Kerala Criminal Judicial Services provided for direct recruitment by transfer from among the categories like Assistant Public Prosecutor Grade I, Grade II, Assistant Registrars, Private Secretary to the Chief Justice and other officers of the High Court – Held, Recruitment by transfer is contemplated bearing the first category of officers namely Assistant Public Prosecutor Grade I and Assistant Public Prosecutor Grade II. Those officers belonging to categories II-VIII do not have minimum practice of three years at the Bar. Whether Assistant Public Prosecutor Grades I and II falling under category I are eligible for recruitment to the lower rung in judicial service, in that, they have three years practice at Bar, need not be decided in this Review Petition. That question is left over - Court has clearly laid down the principle of minimum practice of three years. If the Rules prescribe for a longer standing in the Bar that does not, in any way, run counter to our judgment. It is open to the State of Kerala to prescribe a higher qualification as five years standing at the Bar. In the instant case - Applications dismissed.
ORDER
All these I.As. can be dealt with under a common order.
2. In All India Judges Association v. Union of India, (1992) 1 SCC 119), when directions were sought from this Court for setting up an All India Judicial Service and for bringing about uniform conditions of service and perks for members of subordinate judiciary throughout the country, the following directions as mentioned in paragraph 63 (of SCC) of the said judgment were issued:
(i) An All India Judicial Service should be set up and the Union of India should take appropriate steps in this regard.
(ii) Steps should be taken to bring about uniformity in designation of officers both in civil and the criminal side by March 31, 1992.
(iii) Retirement age of judicial officers be raised to 60 years and appropriate steps are to be taken by December 31, 1992.
(iv) As and when the Pay Commission/ Committees are set up in the States and Union Territories, the question of appropriate pay scales of judicial officers be specifically referred and considered.
(v) A working library at the residence of every judicial officer has to be provided by June 30, 1992. Provision for sumptuary allowance as stated has to be made.
(vi) Residential accommodation to every judicial officer has to be provided and until State accommodation is available, Government should provide requisitioned accommodation for them in the manner indicated by December 31,1992. In providing residential accommodation, availability of an office room should be kept in view.
(vii) Every District Judge and Chief Judicial Magistrate should have a State vehicle, Judicial Officers in sets of five should have a pool vehicle and others would be entitled to suitable loans to acquire two wheeler automobiles within different time limits as specified.
(viii) In-service Institute should be set up within one year at the Central and State or Union Territory level."
3. Review Petitions were filed seeking review of the judgment. With regard to the qualification for recruitment to judicial posts in the lower rung, it was held in All India Judges Association v. Union of India, (1993) 4 SCC 288 : in paragraph 20 (of SCQ) as under:
"It is hence, necessary that all the States prescribe the said minimum practice as a lawyer as a necessary qualification for recruitment to the lowest rung in the judiciary".
4. This review was done on 24-8-1993.
5. In I.A. 14 of 1994, the State of Kerala is the petitioner. It seeks three clarifications:
(i) Whether Rule 5(3) of the Kerala Judicial Service Rules, 1991 can be retained as it is;
(ii) Whether the directions contained in paras 20, 24 and 52(a) of the judgment will apply retrospectively to the service candidates who are already working as judicial officers;
(iii) Five years legal practice prescribed as minimum qualification for appointment to the lowest category of judicial service namely; Munsiff Magistrates requires to be amended since Rule 10(l) prescribes five years standing for the Advocates as three years practice.
6. I. A. No. 15 has been filed by the Kerala High Court Staff Association and others again seeking clarifications that under Kerala Subordinate Magisterial Service Rules, 1962, appointment to the cadre of Sub-Magistrate, the lowest rung in judicial hierarchy, was by transfer from among prescribed categories. These rules along with Kerala Civil Judicial Service Rules, 1973 and Kerala Criminal Judicial Service Rules, 1973 came into force with effect from 18-9-1973. Both these rules provided for appointment of service personnel to the lowest rung in each service from out of category of persons having experience in law through Courts without actually, having practice at the Bar. On and from 1-1-1992, the Kerala Judicial Service Rules integrated both the services i.e. Kerala Civil Judicial Services and Kerala Criminal Judicial Services provided for direct recruitment by transfer from among the categories like Assistant Public Prosecutor Grade I, Grade II, Assistant Registrars, Private Secretary to the Chi
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