PIL in HC for All India Judicial Service

A PIL was filed on Saturday in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Centre for setting up an All India Judicial Service (AIJS) on the lines of the Indian Administrative and Police Services.

The PIL filed by Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay said AIJS is required to ensure uniformity of standards throughout India in matters of judicial services and to attract the best talent in judiciary so that the fundamental right of a fair trial and speedy justice is made available to all the citizens.

The plea said that in the absence of AIJS, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the required judges strength in District Courts and High Courts.

He said the step to set up the AIJS was long overdue and has been hanging fire for over five decades.

While most government departments now had 'All India Service' recruits, the plea said that the judiciary does not have a national level selection process to attract the best possible talent.

"The Law Commission has thrice -- in its 1st, 8th, 116th reports -- called for Indian Judicial Service (IJS) while the apex court has twice -- first in 1991, then in All-India Judges Case (1992)-- endorsed the creation of IJS."

The plea said," Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 64th report on Law and Justice also recommended establishment of IJS and directed the Law Ministry to take appropriate action in this regard."

The petition also said that recruitment by the National Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) and comprehensive training in the National Judicial Academy (NJA) would ensure equal and uniform service conditions.

The plea is likely to come up for hearing on November 8.

The High Court in July had asked the Centre to treat the petition of Upadhyay as representation and take a decision. Filing the plea, he said the government has not taken any decision on his plea and approached the court again.

At an event during the Delhi High Court Golden Jubilee celebration on October 31, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for an All India Judicial Service, linking it with the inclusion of Dalits and disadvantaged sections in the system.

--IANS

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