Based on the provided legal document, here are the key points regarding public employment, appointments, and recruitment in judicial institutions:

1. Constitutional Mandate for Equality and Fairness * All public appointments must adhere to the provisions of the Constitution, specifically Articles 14 (Equality before law) and 16 (Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment), as well as statutory rules made by the legislature. * Any appointment made in violation of Articles 14 and 16 is irregular, illegal, and a nullity, regardless of the duration of service. (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) * The rule of law is a basic feature of the Constitution, and no authority, including the judiciary, is above the law. (!) (!)

2. Prohibition of Back-Door Appointments and Ad-Hocism * Appointments without advertisement or inviting applications from the open market are violations of the Constitution. (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) * Regularisation cannot be a mode of appointment to cure illegality arising from back-door entries or contravention of rules. (!) (!) (!) (!) * The practice of appointing staff on an ad-hoc basis for short periods and continuing them after breaks is deprecated. (!) (!) (!) * Those who enter through the back door must leave through the same door; their appointments cannot be saved by condoning irregularities. (!) (!) (!)

3. Transparency and Public Notice Requirements * Transparency is a mandatory requirement for public appointments. * Vacancies must be advertised in at least two newspapers (one in a vernacular language) and through the local employment exchange. (!) (!) * The advertisement must specify the number of posts, qualifications, eligibility criteria, and the schedule of the recruitment process. (!) * Selection must be done by a body of experts or a specially constituted committee using rational criteria (written exam, interview, etc.). (!) (!)

4. Powers of the Chief Justice of the High Court (Article 229) * Under Article 229(1), the Chief Justice has the power to appoint officers and servants of the High Court to safeguard judicial independence. (!) (!) (!) * However, this power is not unfettered and is subject to Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. (!) (!) (!) * The Chief Justice cannot make appointments in contravention of statutory rules or without following the principles of natural justice. (!) (!) * Discretion exercised by the Chief Justice must be guided by law and known principles, not by whim or caprice. (!)

5. Administrative Control over Subordinate Courts (Article 235) * The power of the High Court under Article 235 to exercise superintendence over subordinate courts extends to all functionaries, including ministerial and administrative staff. (!) (!) * This control is exclusive, comprehensive, and effective in its operation. (!) * The High Court must ensure that appointments in subordinate courts also comply with Articles 14 and 16. (!)

6. Directives Issued by the Supreme Court * All High Courts are directed to re-examine their statutory rules regarding staff appointments and modify them if they conflict with Articles 14 and 16. (!) * Vacancies must be filled strictly in compliance with statutory rules; appointments made in contravention are void ab-initio. (!) * Recruitment should be undertaken on a regular basis (at least once a year) to avoid shortages and the need for ad-hoc appointments. (!) * High Courts are advised to consider centralizing the recruitment system for subordinate court staff to ensure transparency and transferability. (!)