The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a deadline of 20 days for the States, Union Territories and respective High Courts to provide it information on the status of filling up of judicial vacancies in the district and subordinate judicial services across the country.
“Regarding the issue of filling up of the vacancies in different cadres of the district and subordinate judicial services of the States and Union Territories, the concerned authority of the State Governments/Union Territories and also the Registrar Generals of the jurisdictional High Courts shall inform the Secretary General of this court the position with regard to filling up of the vacancies in the judicial service(s) in each State,” a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi ordered.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 30.
The Bench said the position as of June 30, 2019 should be informed to the apex court. The apex court would then consider the status in the next hearing scheduled for July 30 on this aspect.
The authorities should indicate the total strength of each cadre; the number of posts in different cadres actually filled up; the number of posts in each cadre lying vacant; the number of posts in respect of which selection is presently going on and the stage of the said process of selection, and finally, the number of posts in different cadres for which the process of selection is yet to be initiated
The court also took on record the report filed by amicus curiae Vijay Hansaria regarding the Central funding on infrastructure of subordinate judiciary.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has been granted time till July 31 to interact with the Central government officials concerned to discuss the report and present the Centre’s views and suggestions.
