The Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to the 2010 recruitment of Civil Judges (Junior Division) in Punjab and Haryana, citing the significant lapse of time.

The bench, comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar, held that it would be inappropriate to revisit the matter in 2025, fifteen years after the original selection process.

"The clock cannot be turned back by appointing judicial officers after 15 years or by granting consequential reliefs at this point in time," the Court observed while refusing to interfere.

The petition involved the interpretation of the Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Branch) Haryana Amendment Rules, 2010. The Court disposed of the matter based on two key considerations:

1. Precedent from a Recent Judgment: The Court noted that the issue was already addressed in Dr. Kavita Kamboj v. High Court of Punjab & Haryana & Ors., where it upheld the High Court's requirement that candidates seeking promotion to District Judge must secure a minimum of 50% marks in interviews. That case dealt with the 65% quota for merit-cum-seniority promotions under Rule 8 of the Haryana Superior Judicial Service Rules, 2007.

   Referring to that judgment, the present bench said, “The ratio of the said judgment is squarely attracted to the facts of the present case, and the issue is somewhat similar.”

2. Inordinate Delay: The Court emphasized that reopening recruitment from 2010 at this stage would be unjustified. “The other reason to decline interference is that the selection is of the year 2010... now in the year 2025, the clock cannot be turned back,” the Court stated.

In light of these findings, the appeal was dismissed.

Advocate-on-Record Aniteja Sharma appeared for the appellants, while Senior Advocate Arun Bhardwaj represented the respondents.

Case Title: Mukesh Kumar & Anr. v. State of Haryana Through Chief Secretary & Ors.
Civil Appeal No.: 5482 of 2024