Competitive exam for selection of HC judges: Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal today (July 20) said that there is no proposal to introduce competitive examination for selection of High Court judges as they are being appointed as per constitutional provisions.
According to the law ministry’s website, there are 25 high courts in India with a sanctioned strength of 1,114 judges and as of July 1, there were 333 vacancies.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Meghwal said, “There is no proposal to introduce competitive examination for selection of High Court judges as the procedure is being followed as per constitutional provisions.”
In a sub-question, part of a larger question on high court judges, the minister was asked whether the government was planning to consult the Supreme Court to hold a competitive examination for appointment of high court judges.
Meghwal pointed out that the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts is done as per the procedure laid down under Articles 124, 217 and 224 of the Constitution and in the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) prepared in 1998 following the Supreme Court judgment of October 6, 1993.
Citing Article 217(2) of the Constitution, he said that a person shall not be eligible for appointment as a Judge of a High Court unless he is a citizen of India, has resided in the territory of India for at least 10 years I have held a judicial position. Must have been, for at least ten years, an advocate of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession.
(with inputs from agencies)
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