Supreme Court Faces Review Petition Over New Eligibility Rule for Civil Judge Recruitment
New Delhi, June 16: A review petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court of India, seeking reconsideration of a recent ruling that mandates a minimum of three years of legal experience for candidates applying to the post of Civil Judge in the Junior Division of the judiciary.
The original judgment, passed by a three-member bench of the apex court on May 20, introduced a revised eligibility requirement. According to the decision, only those with at least three years of active law practice would qualify for judicial service at the entry level. However, the court had clarified that the new rule would not apply to recruitment processes that had already commenced before the date of the judgment.
The review petition, filed by Advocate Kunal Yadav, argues that this sudden change in criteria puts recent law graduates at an unfair disadvantage. It claims that many candidates had been preparing for judicial services exams based on the earlier eligibility rules, and the new condition deprives them of a fair chance.
Citing violations of constitutional protections related to equal rights and fair access to government positions, the petition insists that the revised requirement contradicts the legal assurances provided to Indian citizens. The petitioner has specifically requested that the court postpone the implementation of the three-year practice rule until 2027. This, according to the plea, would ensure that law graduates from 2023 to 2025—who followed the earlier framework—are not unjustly excluded.
The plea further asserts that the May 20 ruling contains factual and procedural inconsistencies, which warrant judicial review. It emphasizes that such a significant shift in policy should involve adequate notice and consideration of its impact on aspiring candidates.
The legal community is now awaiting the Supreme Court’s response, as the outcome of this review could have widespread implications for judicial service aspirants across the country.
