A group of judges from courts across Delhi say lawyers are marring their chances of promotion.

The Delhi Judicial Services Association led by its president and Additional District and Sessions Judge D K Sharma allege that more and more lawyers are being directly recruited to higher judicial seats, much to the chagrin of junior judges in the Capital.

The judges’ alliance introduces itself as “an association of judicial officers of the Delhi Judicial Services as well as promotee officers belonging to the cadre of Delhi Higher Judicial Services concerned and entrusted with the collective interests of members”.

The association is now protesting against a public advertisement issued by the Delhi High Court on September 7, 2009, inviting lawyers to apply for 10 vacant posts in the Capital’s higher judiciary.

The entry point to the higher judicial services in Delhi starts at the level of the Additional District Judge or District Judge.

As per the Delhi Higher Judicial Services Rules, candidates to the higher judiciary are selected from both the lower judiciary and from lawyers.

For an authorised strength of 203 posts in the higher judiciary, two-third is reserved for judicial officers and only a quota of one-third seats is kept aside for “direct recruitment” from among lawyers.

The association on Wednesday challenged the legality of the advertisement before a Division Bench led by Badar Durrez Ahamed, asking why the High Court is keen on more lawyers joining the higher judiciary at the cost of causing “serious prejudice” to subordinate judicial officers.

... contd.