The Hon’ble Supreme Court Allows Judicial Officers With Combined Seven Years’ Bar and Service Experience to Qualify for Direct Recruitment as District Judges — Rejanish K.V. v. K. Deepa & Ors

The Hon’ble Supreme Court, in a landmark Constitution Bench judgment, has ruled that judicial officers who possess a combined total of seven years’ experience as advocates and judicial officers as of the date of application are eligible for direct recruitment to the post of District Judge. The Court further fixed the minimum age for such in-service candidates at 35 years. This decision expressly overrules the earlier three-judge bench ruling in Dheeraj Mor v. High Court of Delhi, which had barred serving judicial officers from applying under the advocates’ quota. The judgment, however, will apply prospectively and will not disturb ongoing recruitment processes. The Bench directed all State Governments and High Courts to amend their recruitment rules within three months to bring them in conformity with this interpretation. The Court clarified that eligibility must be determined at the time of submission of the application and that the seven years’ experience may be cumulative, covering both advocacy and judicial service. Interpreting Article 233(2) of the Constitution purposively, the Court emphasized that the objective is to ensure a balance between experience, merit, and administrative efficiency. The case arose from a dispute in Kerala, where the eligibility of a candidate with prior bar experience who had entered judicial service was questioned, ultimately leading to this authoritative pronouncement in Rejanish K.V. v. K. Deepa & Ors