REINSTATEMENT OF MINIMUM PRACTICE REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT IN JUNIOR DIVISION JUDICIARY
ALL INDIA JUDGES ASSOCIATION & OTHERS V. UNION OF INDIA & OTHERS:
WRIT PETITION (C) NO. 1022 OF 1989
Hon’ble Bench: CJI B.R. Gavai, Justice A.G. Masih, and Justice K. Vinod Chandran
Date: 20 May 2025
In the case of All India Judges Association & Others (2002), the Hon’ble Supreme Court had put an end to the minimum practice requirement, allowing fresh law graduates to apply for Munsiff-Magistrate posts. However, numerous applications were later filed seeking the reinstatement of this requirement.
The Hon’ble Court observed that the recruitment of fresh law graduates as judicial officers, without any prior practice, had led to various challenges. It noted that pre-service training could not adequately substitute for the first-hand experience gained through active participation in the court system and the administration of justice. The Court emphasized that candidates must be equipped to understand the intricacies of a judge’s role. Therefore, it concluded that a minimum practice requirement of three years needs to be restored.
