Lower judicial officers seek reforms in their evaluation process, alleging manipulation, mismanagement and lack of transparency.
On October 6, 2016, the Supreme Court pulled up the Delhi High Court over a plea filed by Barkha Gupta, a judicial officer from a lower court in the capital. She had challenged the inferior grading she was given in her Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs are used to decide on promotion and transfer); Gupta was given a ‘C’, which stood for ‘integrity doubtful’. The two-judge Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Prafulla C. Pant, said the remarks recorded in her ACRs between 1999 and 2004 were “wholly unsustainable in law”. Even as she was given a ‘C’ grading, she was continued in service and promoted as additional district judge. The grading was given to her, as is the practice in Delhi’s judicial setup, by a full bench of the High Court.
In June 2015, Additional District and Sessions Judge Sujata Kohli moved Delhi High Court, challenging the “non-transparent” criteria adopted by the High Court. Kohli, who joined the Delhi Judicial Services in 2002, standing third in the merit list, was agitated over being ignored for promotion and her juniors getting promoted as district and sessions judges. She said that the High Court had repeatedly changed the criteria for promotion and not informed judicial officers about it.
In 2009, the Delhi High Court had laid down that a judicial officer must have at least one A rating in the ACR in five years to be considered for promotion. It was changed in 2010 and again in 2011 to make it five As in five years.
“The HC has not given due weight to seniority, which was a criterion when petitioner was appointed/ selected to the cadre of district judge. Unfortunately, over the last few years, the HC has been continuously altering the criteria for promotion... which are not even communicated to the additional district judges,” Kohli said in her petition.
This story is from the June 24, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 24, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WHAT IS YOUR SLEEP PATTERN?
YOUR SLEEP PATTERN may influence your risk of chronic diseases.
VISION PROBLEMS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S
ACCORDING TO A US STUDY published in The Lancet Neurology, a rare eye condition known as posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) could be the first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease in 10 per cent of patients.
ANNUAL BREAST CANCER SCREENING BEGINNING AT 40 SAVES LIVES
ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS to screen for breast cancer beginning at age 40 and continuing to at least 79 has the highest reduction in mortality with minimal risks, according to a US study published in the journal Radiology.
SWEETENED DRINKS MAY INCREASE RISK OF AFib
REGULARLY CONSUMING SUGARY or artificially sweetened beverages can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat.
MOST EFFECTIVE EXERCISES TO TREAT DEPRESSION
A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE BMJ says walking, jogging, yoga, strength training and dancing are the most effective exercises to treat depression, especially when intense.
LYING TO YOUR KIDS MAY MAKE THEM LIARS
KIDS WHOSE PARENTS LIE to them are more likely to lie to their parents, even if parents tell only innocent white lies, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
BAD AIR DAZE
AIR POLLUTION'S EFFECTS GO BEYOND THE LUNGS, IMPACTING FERTILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, BESIDES YOUR EYES AND SKIN
Women and the big C
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in India. Here, we bust common myths, and outline diagnosis, treatment and prevention strategies
Make genome the norm
For India to meet its target of TB eradication by 2025, it will have to make rapid strides in using whole genome sequencing to its full potential
ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD LINKED TO 32 MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES
Regular consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with an increased risk of 32 major health outcomes, including early death, cancer, mental health disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes and respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.