Supreme Court Allows Karnataka High Court To Notify Civil Judge Appointments

The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi was hearing the Malik Mazhar Sultan vs UP Public Service Commission case, in which it has been passing various orders from time to time regarding the filling up of judicial vacancies in trial courts.

The bench was informed that the selection process for the Karnataka Civil Judges was complete and only the result has to be declared. 

Considering the same, the bench ordered, " IA Allowed, the High Court is at liberty to notify the appointment of Judicial Officers (Civil Judge)." 

Another application was moved by the Madras High Court, stating that for the past 5 years, there were only 8 direct recruits, and there are 47 vacancies in the district judiciary. The bench agreed to list the application for the first week of April. 

In February 2025, the Court directed the Karnataka High Court to proceed with the selection process of recruiting 158 civil judges, irrespective of the state government's circular holding up direct recruitments to the judiciary.

The bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan was then informed that the Karnataka Government in its circular dated November 15, 2024, stopped the direct recruitment process by making amendments to reservations under Karnataka Judicial Service (Recruitment ) (Amendment) Rules 2024.

Case : MALIK MAZHAR SULTAN Versus U.P. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ORS|C.A. No. 1867/2006