NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court recently directed the Madhya Pradesh High Court to re-examine its order to terminate the services of six women civil judges. The apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the termination by the Madhya Pradesh government in January.The MP government’s State Law Department had passed the termination order after an administrative committee and a full court meeting found the performance of the six judges unsatisfactory during their probation period.A two-judge Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, directed the MP High Court to reconsider the cases of the affected judges within a month.”We request the full court of the Madhya Pradesh High Court to reconsider the cases of these judicial officers. On reconsideration, a copy of resolution be placed before this court preferably within four weeks,” the Court ordered.In January, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Registrar General of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in the suo motu case.The Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance on January 12 of the MP government’s decision to terminate the six women judges based on the recommendation of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which found their probation period unsatisfactory.The six women judges whose services were terminated are Sarita Chaudhary, Priya Sharma, Rachna Atulkar Joshi, Aditi Kumar Sharma, Sonakshi Joshi, and Jyoti Barkhade.The apex court had earlier appointed advocate Gaurav Agarwal as amicus curiae to assist in the matter.Initially, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had recommended the termination of the six judges after finding their probation period unsatisfactory. Acting on this recommendation, the state government terminated their services in June 2023.
Source link
