The Hindu : Front Page : Court raps Government for delay in notifying recruitment rules

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Tuesday, Jan 09, 2007
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Court raps Government for delay in notifying recruitment rules

Special Correspondent

Matter relates to filling up of 81 civil judge vacancies

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has rapped the Government for the delay in notifying new recruitment rules for the appointment of 81 subordinate judicial officers in the State.

Cautioning the authorities against "testing the patience of the court," the First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice K. Chandru said it was "very very unfair" that even four weeks were not enough for officials concerned to process the judiciary's need to fill civil judge (junior division) vacancies.

The matter relates to a letter written by the Registrar-General of the High Court, requesting the Government to notify the amended recruitments rules for filling up 81 civil judge (junior division) vacancies, as on March 31, 2007.

The Government is supposed to notify the new rules and entrust the process with the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.

When the matter, taken up as a writ petition, came up before the Bench, Government Pleader Raja Kalifulla informed the court that over four weeks would be required for the Secretaries of Law, Personnel and Administrative Departments to peruse the file.

Dissatisfied with the submission, the Bench said unless the Secretaries held a joint meeting to clear the proposal, the court would be constrained to summon the Secretaries concerned to court and make them do the job. Noting that it was not an "acceptable" attitude, the Bench said, "it cannot be tolerated."

Court warning

The Secretaries must hold a joint meeting as early as tomorrow and take an appropriate decision. If it was not done, the court would pass a judicial order, the judges said.

The recruitment rules, amended as per a Supreme Court order, were approved by the Full Court a few weeks ago. As per the new rules, fresh law graduates are eligible to write the examination. While open category students shall have a minimum of 50 per cent of overall marks, others shall have a minimum of 45 per cent. Candidates having three years of bar experience or as assistant public prosecutors are also eligible to apply.

While the age limit for fresh graduates is between 22 and 27 years, it is 25-35 years for candidates in the experienced category.

Staff members in High Court service are not eligible to apply.

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