REKHRAJ BAGHEL Vs. HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner has called in question the decision of respondent No.1 declaring him to be ineligible to participate in the District Judge (Entry Level) Direct Recruitment Examination, 2014 on the ground that on the cut off date i.e. 1.1.2014 he has not attained the age of 35 years.

(2.) The subject recruitment is governed by the provisions contained in the Chhattisgarh Higher Judicial Service (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2006. Rule 7 of the said Rules provides thus:-

(3.) Respondent No.1 issued the advertisement inviting applications from the eligible candidates who desire to compete in the District Judge (Entry Level) Direct Recruitment Examination, 2014 on 20.5.2014, for 8 number of posts, out of which 1 post is reserved for SC, 3 posts are reserved for ST and 4 posts are for open category. Clause 2 of the advertisement prescribes the eligibility criteria. Sub-clause (b) of clause 2 provides that no person shall be eligible for appointment to the post of District Judge (Entry Level) in Higher Judicial Service by direct recruitment unless, he or she has attained the age of 35 years and has not attained the age of 45 years on the first day of January, 2014, provided that upper age limit shall be relaxed up to a maximum limit of 3 years for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes who are the bonafide residents of Chhattisgarh.