Disclaimer: This has been reported after the availability of the order of the Court and not on media reports so as to give an accurate report to our readers.
Supreme Court: In a petition pertaining to relaxation for the specially-abled candidates in the 3-year legal practice rule for the recruitment of judicial officers’ exam at the entry level, the three-Judge Bench of Surya Kant, CJI., Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, JJ., directed that its interim order dated 13 April 2026 regarding closing date for submission of applications for recruitment as judicial officers at the entry level shall continue to operate till further orders.
Proceedings Till Now
The present writ petition was filed by Bhumika Trust, representing hundreds of specially-abled candidates seeking exemption from the mandatory condition of 3 years’ practice at the Bar for recruitment to entry-level judicial services. The issue arose in the backdrop of 2 earlier Supreme Court judgments. In Recruitment of Visually Impaired in Judicial Services, In re, 2025 SCC OnLine SC 481, the Court had directed suitable amendments in the minimum eligibility conditions for appointment of judicial officers at the junior division level. Thereafter, in All India Judges Assn. v. Union of India, 2025 SCC OnLine SC 1184, the Court prescribed a mandatory requirement of 3 years’ practice at the Bar as a condition for eligibility to appear in the competitive examination for recruitment as judicial officers at the entry level.
While considering the writ petition on 15 January 2026, the Court observed prima facie that the eligibility condition for judicial services should be uniform and should not vary across different categories of candidates aspiring to compete for judicial posts. However, before taking a holistic view on the issue, the Court found it useful to seek suggestions from all High Courts and Law Universities/National Law Schools. Accordingly, the Court directed the Registrar Generals of all High Courts to place the matter before their respective Chief Justices and circulate the order among Law Universities and National Law Schools within their territorial jurisdiction for submission of suggestions within 4 weeks.
Subsequently, while the issue relating to the prescription of 3 years’ practice as a precondition for recruitment to entry-level judicial services remained under consideration, the Court directed all High Courts and State Public Service Commissions to extend the last date for submission of applications, wherever recruitment advertisements had already been issued, up to 30 April 2026. The Court further directed that any fresh recruitment advertisement issued thereafter should also prescribe a cut-off date after 30 April 2026.
Last Court Order
Thereafter, the petitioner mentioned the petition before the Court on 22 May 2026. The Court thus directed that its interim order dated 13 March 2026 concerning extension of the application deadline would continue to operate until further orders. The Court, accordingly, extended the final date for submission of applications for recruitment to entry-level judicial posts.
Also Read Other Stories On 3-Year Legal Practice Rule: –
-
SC clarification on 3-year legal practice requirement for Judicial Officers | SCC Times
-
SC relaxes 3-Year Experience as Advocate Rule in Chhattisgarh Civil Judge Exam | SCC Times
-
Mandatory 3-year legal practice rule: Review Petition Filed | SCC Times
-
Supreme Court Restores 3-Year Legal Practice Requirement for Civil Judge Eligibility | SCC Times
[Bhumika Trust v. Union of India, WP(C) No. 1110 of 2025, ordered on 22-5-2026]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the petitioner: Jayant Singh Raghav, Srikrishna Kumar Yadav, Ragini Kumari, Megha Tolia, Sara Chawla and Shristy Sinha, Advocates
For the respondent: N/A
