P S GOPINATHAN Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Judgment of the Court was delivered by P. P. Naolekar, J.- Leave granted.

(2.) THE appellant was directly recruited to the post of Munsiff and was later promoted to the post of Subordinate Judge. Thereafter, the appellant was promoted to the Kerala State Higher Judicial Service, whereas the respondents 3 to 5 were directly recruited to the Higher Judicial Service.

(3.) IN place of the Kerala Civil Judicial Service and the Kerala Criminal judicial Service, a common Service was brought into force by the Kerala Judicial service Rules, 1991 published in the Gazette on 31-12-1991 and amendment to the Kerala Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1961 vide G. O. (P) No. 47/92/home dated 28-2-1992 was given retrospective effect from 1-1-1992, the date of coming into force of the Kerala Judicial Service Rules. The common service constituted under the said Rules consisted of the following categories of officers: category 1 : Subordinate Judges/chief Judicial Magistrates category 2: Munsiffs/magistrates.