Gujarat Judicial Officers' Promotions Reversed After Supreme Court Order

The Gujarat High Court has reversed the promotion of 40 judicial officers and maintained the promotion of 21 others while changing their postings.

The decision followed the Supreme Court's stay to the recent promotion of judicial officials.

Through two notifications issued on Monday, the High Court reversed the promotions of 40 judicial officers. It maintained the promotion of 21 others but changed their postings.

Among others, the High Court maintained the promotion of Surat magistrate HH Varma as an additional sessions judge. As a magistrate, Judge Varma had sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case related to his "Why all thieves have the Modi surname" remark.

But the court posted Mr Varma as the 12th additional district and sessions judge at Rajkot instead of the 16 additional district and sessions judge.

On May 12, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice MR Shah, now retired, stayed the promotion of lower judicial officers in the state.

The promotions were in violation of the Gujarat State Judicial Service Rules 2005, amended in 2011, which state that promotions must be made on the principle of merit-cum-seniority and on passing a suitability test, the Supreme Court said.

Following the Supreme Court ruling, the High Court restored the original lower cadre of these judges.

The judicial officers, aggrieved by the stay, have moved the Supreme Court. The top court would be hearing the plea in July.

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