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All-India Judicial Service may become a reality soon!

By IndianMandarins- 31 Oct 2021

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An All-India Judicial Service on the lines of All India Services is likely to become a reality as the Government is building a consensus with the higher judiciary on this issue. Union Law minister Kiren Rijiju has called a state law ministers’ meeting this month (November) where the formation of AIJS is likely to be discussed. The Centre is not averse to accommodating concerns of various states on being given freedom to continue with the recruitment of judicial officers for the subordinate judiciary.

Sources informed that the top judiciary seems to be in sync with the government’s major push to reform the recruitment of judges at the level of additional district judges. The option of higher judicial service will attract talented professionals to fill up the ranks of high courts and Supreme Court judges at an early age.

Taking up AIJS is a long pending reform that the government and the higher judiciary has to take a call now. If an Army officer can become the Army chief and an IAS officer can become a secretary to head a central administrative function, why can’t a direct recruit from the judicial service rise up to the rank of an SC judge.

At present, less than 25 percent of judicial officers have some chance of being elevated as judges of high courts, with the majority of them managing to reach only the rank of district judges towards the end of their professional career. None from the judicial service can even aspire to go up to the Supreme Court. Probably this is the reason judicial services are not considered an appealing option for the talented.