In a significant clarification issued on May 20, the Supreme Court stated that its newly reinstated rule mandating a minimum of three years’ legal practice to be eligible for judicial service will not apply to recruitment processes already initiated by High Courts.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices AG Masih and K Vinod Chandran, made it clear that only future recruitment cycles for Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts will be governed by the new eligibility requirement.
“Minimum practice requirement shall not be applicable where the High Courts have already commenced the appointment process of Civil Judges Junior Division before the date of this judgment, and this shall be applicable only when the next appointment process begins,” CJI Gavai pronounced.
The Court also noted that recruitment procedures that had been put on hold due to the pendency of this case may now resume without being affected by the three-year practice rule.
This clarification brings relief to thousands of law graduates who had already applied or were preparing for state judicial exams notified prior to May 20, 2025.
Case: All India Judges Association and ors vs Union of India – Available on LAWFYI.IO
