Supreme Court Dismisses Judicial Officer's Challenge Against Denial Of Promotion On Ground Of "Below Average" Judgments

The Supreme Court recently dismissed a petition filed by a judicial officer challenging the decision of the Punjab & Haryana High Court to deny him promotion as Additional District & Sessions Judge. 

The six-member Committee of Judges of the High Court had denied him promotion saying that his judgments were “below average”. The officer challenged the decision on the judicial side of the High Court. After the High Court rejected his petition, he approached the Supreme Court.

It was argued that a six-member Committee of Judges was supposed to evaluate the judgments of the Petitioner. Whereas, a three-member Committee has evaluated the judgments and refused promotion to the Petitioner.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Pankaj Mithal opined that when the suitability of Petitioner for promotion is based on the quality of his judgments, then no fault can be found in the decision of committee declining his promotion.

“When the suitability of the petitioner for promotion is inter alia based on the quality of judgments, no fault can be found with the decision to decline promotion to the petitioner", the bench observed while dismissing the special leave petition. 

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