HC asks govt to consider lawyer's plea for Judicial Service

Delhi High Court today asked the government to consider a lawyer's representation seeking setting up of a All India Judicial Service (AIJS) on the lines of the Indian Administrative and Police Services.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked the Ministry of Law and Justice to take a decision on the petitioner's representation and inform him.
With this direction, the court disposed of the PIL by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay who had said the step to set up the AIJS was "long overdue and has been hanging fire for over five decades".
In his plea, he said while most government departments now had 'All India Service' recruits, "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). The apex court has twice - first in 1991, then in All-India Judges Case (1992) endorsed the creation of IJS.
"The 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 PIL said.
It said that in the absence of IJS, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the required judges strength in district courts and High Courts.
It 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".