354 Judges’ Vacancies In High Courts Across India: Law Ministry
Out of the total 1,122 judges posts across various High Courts in India, 364 seats are lying vacant, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal informed the Parliament today. He also gave the information that two seats are lying vacant in the Supreme Court as of November 21, 024. The minister was responding to questions asked by Rajya Sabha member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan regarding shortage of judges and vacant posts in the various courts of the country.
Among the High Courts in the country, Allahabad High Court has 79 judges’ vacancies followed by Punjab and Haryana High Court (32) and Calcutta High Court (29). Meghalaya and Tripura High Courts have zero vacancies of Judges.
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The minister informed that the appointment of Judges of the High Courts is made under Articles 217 and 224 of the Constitution of India, which is a continuous, integrated and collaborative process between the Executive and the Judiciary. “It requires consultation and approval from various constitutional authorities both at the State and Centre level. While every effort is made to fill up the existing vacancies expeditiously, vacancies of Judges in High Courts do keep on arising on account of retirement, resignation or elevation of Judges and also due to increase in the strength of Judges,” he said.
He also added that filling up of vacant positions in the case of District and Subordinate courts is the responsibility of the High Courts and State Governments concerned. “As per the Constitutional framework, in exercise of powers conferred under proviso to Article 309 read with Articles 233 and 234 of the Constitution, the respective State Government in consultation with the High Court frames the rules and regulations regarding the appointment and recruitment of Judicial Officers in the respective State Judicial Service,” he said.
High Court Judges Vacancies Across India
The Supreme Court in an order passed in January 2007 in the Malik Mazhar Sultan case, has inter-alia, stipulated certain timelines, which are to be followed by the States and the respective High Courts for the recruitment process of judges in the District and subordinate courts.
