Holding

Caderisation was correctly effected from 1 July 1996 and the proviso protecting seniority of judges appointed between 1 July 1996 and 31 March 2003 is valid and non‑discriminatory.

Summary

The Maharashtra State Judges Association and several district judges challenged the Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007, contending that the unified cadre of District Judges should have been created with effect from 31 March 1994, not 1 July 1996, and that the proviso protecting the seniority of judges appointed between 1 July 1996 and 31 March 2003 was discriminatory. The Court examined the Supreme Court's earlier directives in All India Judges' Association (I) and (II), the recommendations of the Shetty Commission, and the subsequent acceptance of those recommendations in All India Judges' Association (III). It held that the earlier judgments only required uniformity of designations, not integration into a single cadre, and that the Shetty Commission’s recommendation of three cadres necessitated caderisation from 1 July 1996. Consequently, the Court found the date of caderisation to be correctly fixed at 1 July 1996 and the proviso to Rule 4(1) to be a lawful protection of seniority, not a violation of equality. The validity of the 2007 Rules was upheld and the writ petition was dismissed.

Issues considered

Whether the caderisation (merger of various judicial posts into a single District Judge cadre) should have been effected from 31 March 1994 instead of 1 July 1996.
Whether the insertion of a proviso in Rule 4(1) of the Rules, protecting the seniority of judges appointed between 1 July 1996 and 31 March 2003, is illegal or discriminatory.

Subjects

judicial servicecadre integrationseniorityuniformityjudicial pay commissionrule validityequalityproviso

Judgment

[2008) 17 S.C.R. 247

MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSOCIATION & ORS. A
..... v.
THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, HIGH COURT,
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY & ANR.
(Writ Petition (C) No. 211 of 2007)
DECEMBER 11, 2008 B

[K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ., R.V. RAVEENDRAN AND
~ J.M. PANCHAl., JJ.]

Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007: c
rr.4(1)(ii) proviso and r.4(2)- Various categories of Higher
Judicial Service put into unified cadre of District Judges w.e.f.
1. 7. 1996 - Seniority of officers appointed as District Judges

..
or Judges of City Civil Court between 1. 7.1996 and 31.3.2003
D,
protected - Claim that date of caderisation should be
31.3. 1994 and not 1. 7.1996 and seniority of all officers to be
reckoned from date of entry into service - Held: Caderisation
was rightly given effect from 1. 7. 1996 - Those in the category
of Additional District Judges or Additional Chief Judges of
-Small Causes Court have not made any legal right to be E
placed above those recruited to the higher posts of District
Judges or Judges of City Civil Court between 1. 7. 1996 and
31.3.2003 - Validity of the Rules upheld.

>
The Supreme Court of India, by its orders dated F
·-· ~ 13.11.1991 passed in All India Judges' Association (1) 1 ,
adopting the view of the Law Commission in its
fourteenth report, directed the Union of India to take
appropriate steps to bring about uniformity in the
hierarchy, designations and jurisdictions of judicial
G'
officers of subordinate courts in the country. By a
,,,,, subsequent order dated 24.8.1993 2, the Court extended
't

1. All India Judges' Association (I) vs. Union of India 1991 Suppl.(2} SCR 206.
2. All India Judges Association(//) vs. Union of India), 1993 Suppl. (1) SCR749.
247 H
248 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 17 S.C.R.

A the time upto 31.3.1994 to comply with the directions.
Consequently, the Government of India constituted the
First National Judicial Pay Commission (Justice Shetty
Commission) which by its report dated 11.11.1999
proposed to provide uniform pay scales to be given effect
s from 1.7.1996, to the Judicial Officers by dividing them
into three levels: (i) Civil Judge (Junior Division) (ii) Civil
Judge (Senior Division), and (iii) District Judges. The
Court by its order dated 31.3.2002 3 accepted the
recommendations of Shetty Commission, and directed
c the High Courts and the State Governments to amend
their rules to bring them in conformity with its directions.
Accordingly, the High Court of Bombay appointed a
Committee comprising four Judges (Justice Kapadia
Committee) which by its report dated 24.8.2002 grouped
1

various cadres of Higher Judicial Service of the State into
D one single Cadre of District Judges consisting of District
Judges, Joint District Judges and Judges of City Civil
Court (Category-I), Chief Judges, Small Causes Court
(Category-1A) Additional District Judges and Additional
Chief Judges, Small Causes Court (Category-II), and
E recommended that 1.7.1.1996 should be the date of;
caderisation. For the purpose of seniority,.the Committee
recommended that Judicial Officers grouped in Category
I would en block rank senior to Category-1A and the latter.
would en block rank senior to. Category-II and inter se
F seniority wJthin ·eac~ block would be based on the date
of entry into the s.ervice as per;Jhe seniority basis.in t~e .,..."......
old cadre. These recommendations were challenged in
writ petitions filed before the Supreme Court by City ·Civil
Court Judges and the District Judges appointed directly
G from the Bar between 1.7.1996 and 21.3.2002, the date of
decision in the case of All India Judges' Association (Ill).
On the directions of the Supreme Court, the High Court
of Bombay constituted anot~er Committee (Justice
3. All India Judges' Association (Ill) vs. Union of India & Ors. 2002 (2) SCR
H 712=(2002) 4 sec 247.
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 249
REGISTRAR GENERAL & ANR.

Gokhale Committee) which submitted its report on A
--~
19.9.2006 reiterating the unified cadre of District Judges
and the date of caderisation to be 1.7.1996 as was
recommended by Justice Kapadia Committee. But taking
note of hardship to certain sections, on account qf
retrospective caderisation, it recommended to protect the B
seniority of the Judicial Officers who obtained their
positions either as City Civil Judges or District Judges
by direct appointment or by promotion between 1.7.1996 ·
·~
and 31.3.2003. These recommendations were accepted in
the Full Court meeting of the Bombay High Court and c
. pursuant thereto the State Govern.ment framed th•
Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007 and
the same were deemed to have come into force w.e.f.
1.7.1996.

The instant writ petition was filed by some of the D
District Judges contending that having regard to th~
~ directions given by the Supreme Court in AU India
Judges' Association (I) and (II), the date of caderisation ·
should have been 31.3.1994 and not 1.7.1996. It was
alternatively contended that once the date of caderisation E
was accepted as 1.7.1996, the seniority of the Judicial
Officers should have been reckoned from the date of
entry into the service and insertion of proviso to Rule 4(1)
of the Rules protecting the seniority of only City Civil
Court Judges and District Judges appointed between F
... ..,. 1.7.1996 and 31.3.2003 was illegal and violative of
'
principle of equality.

Dismissing the writ petition, the Court
I

HELD:1.1. It would not be correct to say that the, G
failure to have a uniform cadre of District Judges with
...._ ')- effect from 31.3.1994 amounts to disobedience of the
orders dated 13.11.1991 and 24.8.1993 passed by this
Court. All that was directed by the order dated 13.11.1991
in All India Judges Association(/) was that uniformity should H
250 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 17 S~C.R.
e
A be brought in the designations of judicial officers as·
District or Addi. District Judge, Civil Judge (Senior r
Division) and <:;ivil Juidge (Junior Division) on the civil side
and Sessions Judge~ or Additional Sessions Judge, Chief
Judicial Magistrates/ and Magistrates on the criminal side.
B Even in the All India Judges Assoqiation(ll), what was
directed by order dated 24.8.1993 was implementation of
the Law Commissi/on's recommendations to bring about
uniformity in hierarchy, designations and jurisdiction of 1
officers both on dvil and criminal sides, as directed on
c 13.11.1991. Cad1erisation by integration of multiple
categories of pos;ts was not suggested either in All India
Judges Associatlion (/) or (//). There was no specific
direction to integrate into a single unified cadre, wherever
mult!ple categories existed. [Paras 12 and 14] [267-H; 268-
A•C]
D
All India Judges' Association (/) vs. Union of India 1991
Suppl. ( 2 ) SCR· 206 =1992 (1) SCC 119 and All India )..f

Judges Association (II) vs. Union of Jnaia), 1993 Suppl. ( 1 )
SCR 749-1993 (4) SCC 288 - referred to.
E
1.2. It was ori_ly when the Shetty Commission
recommended three cadres, namely, Civil Judge (Junior
Division), Civil Judge (Senior Division) and District ~

~

Judges with pay scales for the respective cadres, that it
became necessary to unify or integrate the multiple
F categories into three cadres of District Judge, Civil Judge
I .
"'
(Senior Division) and Civil Judge (Junior Division). As )'

Shetty Commission had recommended the applicability
of new pay-scales with effect from 1. 7.1996, it became
inevitable to have the integraticm/unification of the
G multiple categories into three cadres, with effect from
1.7.1996. Further, this Court in All India Judges
Association(/11) directed on 21.3.2002 acceptance of Shetty ,.(~

Commission recommendations of three cadres of District
:oiill
Judge~, Civil Judge (Senior Division) and Civil Judge
H (Junior Division) with effect from 1.7.1996. Therefore, the
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 251
REGISTRAR CJENERAL & ANR.

caderisation was rightly given effect from 1.7.1996 under A
-.i: the Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007.
[Para 12] [268-D-G]

All India Judges' Association (Ill) Vs. Union of India &
Ors. 2002 ( 2) SCR 712 =(2002) 4 SCC 247, referred to. 8
Anil Kumar Neotia v. Union of India 1988 (2) SCC 587
and T.R. Kapoor v. State of Haryana 1989 (4) SCC 71, cited.

2.1. It is significant to note that when appointments
were made to the post of District Judges or City Civil C
Court Judges either by direct recruitment or by
promotion between 1.7.1996 and 31.3.2003, there was no
rule or enforceable direction for caderisation by
integrating the lower posts of Addi. District Judges and
Addi. Chief Judges of Small Causes Court with the higher D'
posts of District Judges/City Civil Court Judges/Chief
Judge of Small Causes Court. Merely because
caderisation by integration was required to be done with
effect from 1. 7.1996 as Shetty Committee
recommendations for revised pay scales were given with E ,
effect from that date, it does not follow that the persons
who were appointed between 1.7.1996 and 31.3.2003 in
the higher posts of District Judges/City Civil Court
Judges should lose their seniority to persons who were
holding lower posts when they were appointed. Those F .
holding the posts of Addi. District Judges and Addi. Chief
Judge of Court of Small Causes were at a rung lower than
District Judges/City Civil Court Judges/Chief Judge of
Court of Small Causes and time was available till
31.3.2003 to equate them with the higher posts in the
hierarchy. Such a benefit was conferred in pursuance of G
the order dated 21.3.2002 with effect from the date of
making rules for which the last date stipulated was
31.3.2003. Therefore Justice Gokhale Committee rightly
recommended that the seniority of those appointed
between 1.7.1996 and 31.3.2003 should be protected. H
252 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2008) 17 S.C.R.
e
A [Para 14] [270-H; 271-A-E]
y-
2.2. All that the proviso to Rule 4(1) has done is to
provide the protection to which those mentioned in the
said. proviso were entitled. There is · nothing
B discriminating. or illegal in. the said proviso. Those in the
category of Additional District Judges or Addi. Chief
Judges of Small Cause Court have not made any legal
right to be placed above those recruited to the higher
posts of District Judges and City Civil. Court Judges
between 1.7.1996 and 31.3.2003 ..The validity of the
C · Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority)· Rules, 2007 is
· :·upheld. [Para 14] [271-E-FJ ...
Case Law Reference:·
. [199~J .$upp 2. S~R 206 ., referred to para 2 ·
D
1993 Suppl.(1) SCR 749 referred to para 2
2002· (2) SCR 712 referred
I
to para 2 )....:'

1988. (2) sec 587 cited para 11
·.·.
E
1989; (4) sec 71 cited para 11
'

CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION : Writ Petition (C) No.
211 of2007. · · ·

F (Under Article.32 of the Constitution ofJndia).
. ·. '
. . I . . .

DushyantDave, P.H. Parekh, Amit Sharma, Anupam Lal
Das,Madhavi Divan, E.R. Kumar and t(Chaturvedi (forParekh
1

· . & Co.) for the· appearing parties'. ·

G The Judgmeryt ~f the ~ourt was d'.elivered by ·

K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ~ 1. s'y this Writ Petition flied
under Article 32 of the Constitution ~f India, the Maharashtra ~ .>
State Judges Association and some District ·Judges, have
H sought the following directions to the respondents :
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 253
REGISTRAR GENERAL & ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]

(i) to make an uniform single cadre of District Judges by A
merging the posts of District Judges, Addi. District
Judges, City Civil Court Judges, Chief Judge and Addi.
Chief Judges of Small Cause Court, with effect from
13.11.1991 or alternatively with effect from 31.3.1994 (or
further alternatively from 1.7.1996) with inter-se seniority B
being determined with reference to the date of entry into
service in the said posts.
,.,
~ (ii) to withdraw the Maharashtra Judicial Service
(Seniority) Rules 2007 (for short the 'Rules') and make
rules in regard to seniority, in conformity with the decision
c
)
of this Court, by having a single uniform cadre of District
Judges (by merging the aforesaid multiple categories of
posts) with effect from 13.11.1991 or 31.3.1994 or
1.7.1996; or in the alternative, to quash the said Rules in
particular the proviso to Rule 4(1) of the said Rules. D

(iii) to withdraw the draft gradation list of District Judges
circulated on 30.3_2007 and make the said list as on
13.11.1991, or 31.3.1994 or 1.7.1996 on the basis of entry
of the Judicial Officers in the cadre as District Judges/ e
Addi. District Judges/City Civil Court Judges/Chief Judge
and Addi. Chief Judges of Small Court.

Background Facts

2. In the year 1989, a writ petition was filed in this Court F
~

- by the All India Judges' Association praying for setting up an
All India Judicial Service and for bringing about uniform
conditions of service for members of sub-ordinate judiciary
throughout the country. The judgment in the said petition
rendered on 13.11.1991 issuing several directions is reported G
'
in All India Judges' Association (/) vs. Union of India [1992
(1) SCC 119]. The said judgment inter alia directed the Union
"-·
)'-
of India to take steps to bring about uniformity in the designation
of judicial officers (both in civil and the criminal side) by March
H
254 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 17 S.C.R.
e
~

A 31, 1993. This Court adopting the view of the Law Commission
in its fourteenth report, observed as follows : ~

"On the civil side, the State Judicial service, therefore,
should be classified as Dis.trict or Additional District
Judge, Civil Judge (Senior Division) and Civil Judge
B
(Junior Division). On the criminal side, there should be a
Sessions Judge or Additional Sessions Judge and below
him there should be the Chief Judicial Magistrate and
..J..
Magistrates provided for in the Code of Criminal f

Procedure. Appropriate adjustments, if any, may be made
c of existing posts by indicating their eq.uivalence with any
of these categories. The process of bringing about such
uniformity would require some time and perhaps some
monitoring."

D This Court also expressed the view that setting up an All India
Judicial Service essentially for manning the higher services in
the sub-ordinate Judiciary was necessary and directed the
y
Union of India to take appropriate steps in that regard. By a
further order dated ·24.8.1993 (reported in 1993 (4) sec 288
E -All India Judges Association (II) vs. Union of India), the time
to comply with the directions for bringing about uniformity in
hierarchy, designations and jurisdictions of judicial officers on
both civil and criminal sides was extended upto 31.3.1994.

3. On 21.3.1996, the Government of India by a resolution
F constituted the First National Judicial Pay Commission ~
('Commission' for short) under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice ...,,"
K. Jagannatha Shetty, mainly to evolve the principles which
1

should govern the structure of pay and emoluments of Judicial
Officers belonging to the subordinate judiciary all over the
G country. The Commission submitted its report on 11.11.1999.
By its Judgment dated 21.3.2002, this Court in All India
Judges' Association (Ill) Vs. Union of India & Ors.(2002) 4 -'f
_.>

sec 247, accepted the recommendations of Shetty
Commission subject to the modifications mentioned in the said
H
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 255
REGISTRAR GENERAL & ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]
judgment. The High Courts and the State Governments were A
required to amend their rules to bring them in conformity with
the directions of this Court. This Court further directed "Any
clarification that may be required in respect of any matter
arising out of this decision will be sought only from this Court.
The proceedings, if any, for implementation of the directions B
given in this Judgment shall be filed only in this Court and no
other Court shall entertain them."

4. Justice Shetty Commission had found that in most of
the States and Union Territories, there were three cadres of
Judicial Officers with uniform designations. But in a few States, C
there were different designations and multiple categories.
Therefore, the Commission suggested that uniformity be
brought about in cadres and designations with uniform
jurisdiction. This was also an absolute necessity since
Commission proposed to provide uniform pay scales and other D
emoluments to the Judicial Officers by dividing them into three
levels, namely (i) Civil Judge (Junior Division) to be referred to
as 'Civil Judges'; (ii) Civil Judge (Senior Division) to be referred
to as Senior Civil Judges; and (iii) District Judges. It also
recommended pay scales on that basis to be given effect from E
1.7.1996.

5. When the report of the Shetty Commission was
submitted, the sub-ordinate Judiciary in the State of
Maharashtra had multiple categories of Judges with different F
designations, as follows :

I. Higher Judicial Service
(a) District Judge (and Joint District Judges)
(b) Additional District Judge, G
(c) Judge~ of the Bombay .city Civil Court,
'I'""-·
,.._
(d) Chief Judge of the Small Causes Court,
(e) Chief Metropolitan Magistrate,
H
256 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008) 17 S.C.R.

A (f) Additional Chief Judge of the Small Causes
Court, and
(g) Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.

II. Subordinate Judicial Service
B (a) Metropolitan Magistrate and Judges of the
Small Causes Court, Bombay and
(b) Civil Judge (Senior Division).
(c) Civil Judge (Junior Division).
c Out of them, the following four categories related to mofussil
area:
(a) District Judge,
(b) Additional District Jud~e.
D
(c) Civil Judge (Senior Division) and
(d) Civil Judge (Junior Division)
I

The following other categories were for Mumbai area :
E (a) Judges of the City Civil Court,
(b) Chief Judge of the Small Causes Court and Chief
Metropolitan Magistrate,
(c) Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate and
Additional Chief Judge of the Small Causes Court,
F and
(d) Metropolitan Magistrates and Judges of the Small
Causes Court.

The scales of pay, sources of recruitment and promotional
G avenues for these posts were also different as detailed below:

H
_, /
> )
I
-l :(

Sr. Cadre Pay as per Pay as per Source of recruitment Promotional Avenue :::a s:
m )>
No. (IVth Pay (Vth Pay G> ::i:: .
(J) )>
Commission Commission) ..., :::a
.·~?;;
1. Civil Judge 2200-4000 8000-13500 Direct recruitment from Bar Senior Civil Judge
:::a ::i::
(Jr. Division) G>...,
m :::a
2. CivilJuage 3200-4625 10650-15850 Promotion from C.J (J.D) A.D.J., sec, Addi. C.M.M. z )>
(Sr. Division)
m U>
~~
r...,
3. Metropolitan 3700-5000 12000-18500 Direct recruitment from Bar and by Addi. C.M.M. Qom
Magistrate . promotion from Civil Judges. )> c....
Zc
4. Judge, Small 3700-5000 12000-18500 By promotion from Civil Judges and Addi. Chief Judge, SCC
;:o CJ
...... G>
Cause Court by direct recruitment from Bar. ?'m
~ (J)
5. Addi. Chief 3700-5000 12000-18500 Promotion from Metropolitan Judge, City Civil Court, ~ j:.
Metropolitan Magistrate and SCC and by transfer Mumbai. ):~
Magistrate of ADJs. ;;,;;O
:::a z
':n.
6. Addi. Chief 3700-5000 12000-18500 Promotion from Judges of Court of Judge, City Civil Court, ' ::i:: Qo
Judge, sec, SCC or Metropolitan Magistrates. Mumbai. $0
Bombay
-
z :::a
(J)
().
7. Addi. District 3700-5000 12000-18500 Promotion from Junior Branch Judge City Civil and .t: :-::
Judges Judicial Service. Sessions Court, Gr.
Bombay or District Judge.
N
CJ1
CX>

(f)
c
-0
8. t;hret Judge, 4500-5700 14300-18300 1ranster ot uis.tnct Judge or by Judge, Crty Civil & :::0
m
sec. .,
promotion of Addi. District Judge/ Sessions Court, s::
Bombay Addi. Chief Judge, SCC/Addl. Gr. Bombay. m
C.M.M. ()
0
c
9. District Judge/ 4500-5700 14300-18300 Promotion from junior Branch or by Eligible for elevation as :::0
-I
Joint District direct recruitment from Bar with Judge of High Court.
Judge minimum practice of 7 years.
. ::a
m
-0
10. Judge, City · 5400-0500 16400-20900. Dil"ect recruitment fr.om Bar, by Eligible for elevation as 0
::a
Civil and transfer of District Judge, and Judge of High Court. ~
Sessions promotion of Chief Judge, SCC,
Court, Addi. Chief Judge, SCC, C.M.M., ..

Bombay. Addi. C.M.M. and promotion of Addi. 'N
Dist. Judges. 0
0
s
.....
......,
(f)
h
::a

.i.._ :{
l ~
;,
• ' ,,
t
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 259
REGISTRAR GENERAL &ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]
6. In view of the acceptance of Shetty Commission's A
--y recommendation by this Court and consequential directions,
the High Court of Bombay on its administrative side considered
the matter in the light of the directions given by this Court and
appointed a four- member Comrrii~iee of Judges under the
Chairmanship of Justice S.H. KapaJ:)ia of the Bombay High f3
Court (as he then was) to impleme~~lfte directions of this Court
issued while accepting the Justice s'tietty Commission Report.
.,;..,
The Committee by its report dated 24.8.2002 accepted that
'\. there shall be uniform single cadre of District Judges consisting
of District Judges, Joint District Judges and City Civil Court c
Judges (Category-I), Chief Judge, Small Cause Court
(Category-IA), Addi. District Judges and Addi. Chief Judges,
Small Cause Court (Category;-11). The Committee also
recommended that 1. 7 .1996 should be the date for
caderisation. We extract below· the relevant portions of the
D
report:

"Constitution of unified cadre

As far as constitution of the cadre of District Judge is
concerned, the Committee has equated the three cadres E
of District Judge, Joint District Judge and City Civil Court
Judges into one category/block (hereinafter referred to as
Category No.I). This equation is based on numerous
factors. For example, Judges of the City Civil Court,
....::..,
Bombay have different sources of recruitment viz., by F
~
transfer of District Judge, by promotion from the cadre of
.......- Addi. District Judge, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Addi.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate,· Addi. Chief Judge, Small
Causes Court and by nomination. Therefore, a District
Judge can be transferred to City Civil Court and vice-
G
versa. Therefore, apart from that post being a promotional
post, looking to the nature of the functions discharged in
.... ~ that cadre and the qualifications for recruitment the
Committee has equated the cadres of District Judge,. Joint
• Oistrict Judge and City Civil Court Judges into one block/
H
260 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2008) 17 S.C.R.

A Category No.I. In the same category, however, the
Committee has recommended a sub-category styled as
Category No.IA, which applies to Chief Judge, Small
Causes Court. This sub-category No.IA has been made
because the post of Chief Judge; Small Cause Court is a
B feeder post to the City Civil Court Uudges cadre. Therefore,
although the Chief Judge, Small Cause Court comes under
Category No.I that cadre will be. placed after the unified
block consisting of District Jud,ge/Joint District Judge/
Judges of the City Civil Court. This is also in view of the
t
c difference in the pay scale betWeen. category No.I and
category no. IA. It needs to be clarified that the prin.ciple
of date of entry, therefore, would apply to category no.I
which would cover District Juqge/Joint District Judge/
Judges of the City Civil Court as a block and the inter-se
seniority within that block shall be governed by the date of
D
entry.

Category-I and Category-JA, however, will be placed above
Category-II which will cover Addi: District Judges and Addi.
Chief Judges, Small Causes Court on the same principles
E of duties performed, parity of pay-scales and they
constituting feeder post for the post of District Judge/City
Civil Court Judge.

To sum up, the analysis of Annexure-11 shows that in the new
F cadre of District Judge, category; No.I will consist of District
Judges, Joint District Judges/City Civil Court Judges. They
will constitute one single bloc and that bloc will rank senior
to category no.IA consisting of Chief Judge, Small Cause
Court and similarly category no.IA as one single bloc will
be placed above category no.II consisting of Addi. District
G
Judges/Additional Chief Judges, Small Causes Court. As
stated above, within each bloc', the inter-se seniority will
be based on the date of entry in the post and as per the

H
seniority basis in the old cadre. By this method, we are
applying the principle of unification of unequal cadres and -
.. _
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 261
REGISTRAR GENERAL & ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]
we are also applying the rule of date of entry for the A
~ purposes of seniority inter-se within each bloc. Therefore,
the new cadre of District Judge will consist of the above
two categories.

Date of Caderization
B
The Committee considered various options for fixing the
date of caderisation. The consensus which ultimately
--t emerged was that the date of caderisation should be taken
as 1.7.1996. The reason is as follows. Under the Report
of Shetty Commission, the various old cadres are required c
to be merged into three cadres viz., Civil Judge, Senior
Civil Judge and District Judge. It is important to note that
under the Report, the financial liability is fixed ~ith effect
from 1. 7.1996. The pay scales recommended by the
Commission have to be given effect to from 1.7.1996. p
That, for the purposes of pay, the post of Addi. District
Judge has to .be equated with District Judge. It was not
possible for the Committee to have two separate dates -
one for caderisation and one for pay fixation. Even as per
the judgment of the Supreme Court in All India Judges E
Association case (supra) decided in 2002, the cut off date
for pay fixation and for payment of other allowances is
!. 1.7.199. Therefore, the Committee is of the view that the
date of caderisation will be taken on 1. 7.1996. In fact, after
fixing the date of caderisation as 1.7.199, the Committee F
-4\ has worked out the above categorization on en block basis
""".....- ........,..-
keeping in mind the various principles laid down in the
judgment of the Supreme Court in Kulkarni's (supra) case.
In other words, 1.7.1996 is the cut off date. In other words,
applying 1. 7.1996 as the cut off date, the Committee has
G
evolved the above categorization/blocks for the purposes
of unifying the various old cadres into three cadres and,
..... ) at the same time, the Committee has applied the principle
of the date of entry for fixing the inter-se seniority withiri
.;·
each block/category. The committee is of the view that this
H
262 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 17 S.C.R.

'
A is the only method by which the various cadres could be
unified/mera~;keeping intact the; seniority of the judicial +-
officers in ea~,§category/block."

7. Several wrlil petitions were filed before this Court
challenging the recommendations of Justice Kapadia
B
Committee report. WP(C) 258/2003 was filed by the petitioner
Association and some of its members. WP(C) No. 75/2004 was
filed by persons· appointed as City Civil Court Judges from the
Bar after 1.7.1996 (1997 batch). WP(C) No.157/2004 was filed t
by persons appointed from the Bar 'as District Judges after
c I

1.7.1996 (after initially serving as Addi. District Judges for
minimum period· of 2 years as per B~SR Rules ·1956. W~(C)
No.429/2004 "Yas filed by persons appointed as District Judge
from the Bar afte~ 1.7.1996 and prior to 21.3.2002 (date of
decision in All India Judges' Association Ill). This Court by a
D common Judgment dated 15.2.2006 disposed of these Writ
Petitions with the following observaUon:-
¥
"We are of the view ttiat it would be expedient if the High
Court first examines the grievances made in the petition
E having regard to all relevant cqnsiderations. Further; we
hope that the High Court would be in a position to decide
the same expeditiously. It may be clarified that we have not
examined the matter on merits and express no view one
way or the other.
F In thi~ view, we dispose of these Writ Petitions/
..,.__ 1-- _,
Applications with liberty to anyone· who may be aggrieved
to approach the appropriate fc;>rum."

8. ,The High Court of Bombay on its administrative side
G considered the matter as per the directions given by this Court
and appointed a fresh Committee, of three Judges under the
Chairmanship of Justice Gokhale, a Judge of the High Court -f ,,.
(as he then was). The said Committee submitted its Report
dated 19.9.2006. The said ,. Report did not disturb the \

H constitution of the unified c'adre of District Judges
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 263
REGISTRAR GENERAL & ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]
recommended by Justice Kapadia Committee. It also A
·-r- reiterated the recommendation of Justice Kapadia Committee
that the date of caderisation should be 1.7.1996. But taking note
of hardship to certain sections, on account of retrospective
caderisation, it suggested a modification to protect the seniority
of Judicial Officers who obtained their positions either as City B
Civil Judges or District Judges by direct appointment or by
promotion between 1.7.1996 and 31.3.2003. The reasoning of
the Committee in this behalf is extracted below :

"As we have noted above, the judgment in the Judges'
Case No.Ill contains the directions to integrate the cadre ',c
and to implement the Shetty Commission Report with '

respect to revised pay scales. This direction was given in
this judgment rendered on 21st March, 2002. The benefits
with respect to revision in pay have been given from 1st
July, 1996 as directed. We have adopted the same date D
as the date of caderisation. The rules were directed to be
-._, framed at the earliest and in any case, by 31st March,
2003. It can, therefore, be said that the Judicial Officers
had a notice that the new rules and the integrated cadre
and seniority were to come in force in any case by 31st E
March, 2003. It is another matter that the rules have not
been finalized so far and, therefore, the Bombay Judicial
~ Service Recruitment Rules, 1956 are still in force. As seen
in Anil Kumar Shetye's case (supra), the Apex Court has
in terms noted that the Addi. District Judge's post is a F.
,.., feeder post to that of' a City Civil Court and that the salaries
.. -· of the City Civil Court Judges are also higher. In para 29
in Judges' Case No.Ill, the Apex Court has noted as seen
above that the existing relative seniority of the members
of the Higher Judicial Service has to be protected. This G
will have to be done until the new Rules come into force. It
is true that as. observed in BM Gupta's case (supra), the
~)..
Judges' Case Nos.I and II brought about changes in certain
'<!-
. service conditions. However, the integration of the cadres
and their seniority remained to be decided. The Judges
H
264 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008) 17 S.C.R.

A who have been either appointed directly as the City Civil
Court Judges or the District Judges or who have been
promoted in the meanwhile as District Judges will,
therefore, have to be protected in the matter of their
seniority. This will have to be done for those Judges who
B obtained such positions until 31st March, 2003."

9. The recommendations given by Justice Gokhale
Committee were considered and accepted by the Full Court
of the Bombay High Court on 3.2.2007. In pursuance of it, the
Government of Maharashtra in consultation with the High Court
C of Bombay framed the Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority)
Rules, 2007 ('Rules' for short) giving effect to the directions of
this Court. The said Rules were deemed to have come into
force from 1.7.1996. Rule 4 deals with Initial Seniority of Officers
forming unified cadre of District Judges. Sub-rules (1) and (2)
D which are relevant are extracted below :

"(1) On the date of commencement of these rules, initial
seniority of Officers who are to form the unified cadre of
District Judges shall be determined as under:-
E (a) Separate lists of officers as on 1st July, 1996
in the existing cadres of District Judges, Judges of
City Civil and Sessions Court, Chief Judges and
Additional Chief Judges of Small Causes Court,
and Additional District .Judges in accordance with
F their existing seniority ~hell be drawn up.

(b) (i)Lists of District ~udges/Joint District Judges
and Judges of City Civil Court shall be merged by
arranging the names of Officers according to their
G respective dates of entry in any of these posts'
either on temporary onegular basis, provided that
while so merging the lists, inter-se-seniority of
Officers in each original cadre shall be maintained.

(ii) The name of Chief Judge of Court of Small
H
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 265
REGISTRAR GENERAL &ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]
Causes shall be appended to the list prepared as A
per sub-clause (i) above:

Provided that those appointed as City Civil Court
Judges or District Judges after 1st July, 1996 but
before 31st March 2003, either by direct f3
recruitment or promotion, shall be included in .a
common list, wherein they shall be listed in an
order of seniority based on the date of their
appointment to the respective posts. Officers
included in this list, shall be placed en-bloc in the C
initial seniority list, immediately below those
included under rule 4(1)(b)(i) and before those
covered by rule 4(1)(b)(ii) and 4(1)(c).

(c) List of Additional District Judges and
Additional Chief Judges of the Court of Small D
Causes shall be merged by arranging the names
of Officers according to their dates of entry on any
of these posts, either on temporary or regular basis,
provided that while so merging the lists, inter-se-
seniority of officers in each original cadre shall be E
maintained.

List so prepared shall be appended to the list
prepared as per clause (b)(i) above, below the
. Chief Judge, Court of Small Causes. ·
F
(2) Officers appointed to posts in the unified cadre of
District Judges on or after 1st July, 1996 other than those
covered by the proviso to rule 4(1)(b)(ii) shall be placed
below the Officers in the seniority list as. on 1st July, 1996
and below those covered under rule 4(1) according to the G
dates of their first permanent or temporary appointment on
regular basis to any of the posts in the unified cadre of
District Judges.
...
/

xxxxx xxxxxxxx H
e
~

266 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 17 S.C.R.

A Contentions and issues:
't"'"'
10. According to the petitioners, the caderisation of the
District Judges of various categories should have been with
effect from 31.3.1994 and not 01. 7 .1996 having regard to the
directions contained in the judgments dated 13.11.1991 and
B
24.8.1993 in All India Judges Association I and II. It is pointed ~
out that the State of Maharashtra did not seek review of the
directions given in All India Judges Association I and II. It is
alternatively contended that once the date of caderisation is ~

c accepted as 01.7.1996, the seniority should have been ..I
reckoned from the date of entry into the service, of Judicial
Officers of various categories which were unified into a single
cadre of District Judges. It is contended that having been done, -r
introduction of the proviso to Rule 4(1) to the effect that those ;

appointed as Judges or District Judges of City Civil Court after ~
D 01.7.1996, but before 31.3.2003, ~either by direct recruitment
or promotion, shall be included in' a common list and shall be
'
placed en bloc in the initial seni<?rity list, immediately below ~_,.

those included in Rule 4(1)(b)(i) and before those covered by

~
Rule 4(1)(b)(ii) and 4(1)(c), is illegal and violates the principle
E of equality. It is submitted that while purporting to bring about
uniformity of cadre as directed by this Court, any effort to re-fix
seniority of certain class of claimants by placing them above
others would defeat the very purpose of bringing uniformity and
'wilf lead to inconsistencies and ~ontradictions. It is submitted
F that the proviso intends to safeguard the interests and fulfil the
alleged legitimate expectations of certain sections, at the cost •
>"". ....., ~

and expense of interests of other sections who also have
legitimate expectations. On the contentions urged two points
arise for our consideration :
G
(i) Whether the caderi'sation (merger of posts of
District Judges/Joint District Judges/City Civil Court
.I"
Judges/Chief Judge of Small Causes Court/Addi. -I

H
District Judges/Addi. Chief Judge of Small Cause
Court) should be with effect from 31.3.1994 instead - !,._
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 267
REGISTRAR GENERAL & ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]
"
of 1. 7. 1996? A
--y (ii) Whether insertion of proviso to Rule 4(1) to protect
the seniority of persons appointed by direct
recruitment or promotion between 1. 7 .1996 to
31.3.2003 is illegal and discriminatory?
B
Re : Point (i)

11. This Court by order dated 13.11.1991 in All India
-t Judges Association(/) had directed that steps should be taken
to bring about uniformity in hierarchy, designations and c
jurisdictions of the Judicial Officers on both civil and criminal
sides by 31.3.1993. It is submitted that while Union of India and
some other States had sought review of the first order dated
13.11.1991, the State of Maharasi·'tra did not seek either review
of the order or sought extension of time for implementation. By
D
subsequent order dated 24.8.1993 while disposing of the
' review petition, this Court in All India Judges Association(//),
~
extended the time for bringing about uniformity in hierarchy,
designations and jurisdictions of the Judicial Officers up to
31.3.1994. It is therefore contended that the state of
Maharashtra was bound to comply with the said orders and, E
consequently, ought to have brought in caderisation by having
a single and uniform cadre of District Judges latest by
31.3.1994. It is submitted that even if there was some delay,
the caderisation when made, ought to have been given
retrospective effect from 31'.3.1994. Reliance is placed on the F
decision of Anil Kumar Neotia v. Union of India [1988 (2) SCC
"' ~
587] and T.R. Kapoor v. State of Haryana [1989 (4) SCC 71]
to contend that the orders of this Court are binding on all and
should be implemented within the time specified. It is contended
that the caderisation by constituting a unified cadre of District G
Judges with effect from 1.7.1996 violated the earlier orders
dated 13.11.1991 and 24.8.1993.
"\
~
12. The contention of the petitioner that the failure to have
a uniform cadre of District Judges with effect from 31.3.1994
H
268 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 17 S.C.R. e
A amounts to disobedience of the orders dated 13.11.1991 and
24.8.1993, cannot be accepted. All that was directed by the -+-
order dated 13.11.1991 in Al/India Judges Association(/) was
that uniformity should be brought in the designations of judicial
officers as District or Addi'. District Judge, Civil Judge (Senior
B Division) and Civil Judge (Junior Diwision) on the civil side and
Sessions Judge or Additional ~essions Judge, Chief Judicial
Magistrates and Magistrates on the criminal side. Even in the
All India Judges Association(//), what was directed by order
dated 24.8.1993 was implementation of the Law Commission's r
recommendations to bring about uniformity in hierarchy,
c designations and jurisdiction of officers both on civil and
criminal sides, as directed on 13.11.1991. There was no '

specific direction to integrate into a single unified cadre,
wherever multiple categories existed. It was only when the
;._
Shetty Commission recommended that there should be only
D three cadres, namely, Civil Judge (Junior Division), Civil Judge I
(Senior Division) and District Judges, and pay scales were also
1

recommended with reference to sa id three cadres; it became ),..r
necessary to unify or integrate the multiple categories into three
cadres of District Judges, Civil Judge (Senior Division) and
E Civil Judge (Junior Division). As Shetty Commission had . I

recommended the applicability of new pay.:-scales with effect
from 1.7.1996, it became inevitable to have the integration/
unification of the multiple categories into three cadres, with
effect from 1. 7 .1996. Further, this 1Court in All India Judges
F Association(///) directed on 21.3.2002 acceptance of Shetty
Commission recommendations fqr having three cadres of
District Judges, Civil Judge (Senior Division) and Civil Judge
~ '
(Junior Division) with effect from 1. 7.1996. Therefore, the
caderisation was rightly given effedt from 1. 7 .1996 under the
G Rules. The contention that it ought to have been with effect from
13.11.1991 or 31.3.1994 has no; merit. The first point is
answered accordingly. ,
.-f
Re : Point (ii)
13. Justice Kapadia Committee recommended equation
H

!-"-
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 269
) REGISTRAR GENERAL &ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]

of the cadres of District Judges, Joint District Judges and City A
·- -1,;
Civil Court Judges into one block (category 1); Chief Judge,
Small Causes Court as category-IA; and Additional District
Judges and Additional Chief Judges of Small Cause Court as
Category-II. The said Committee further recommended that in
the integrated seniority/gradation list, category-1A be placed B
below category-I, and category-II be placed below categories
1 and 1A. Justice Gokhale Committee agreed with the said
~ unification/integration in the manner recommended by Justice
Kapadia Committee. Consequently when the rules were made
a unified cadre of 'District Judges' was formed in the following c
- order, namely :-

I. District Judges/Joint District Judges/City Civil Court
Judges

(Inter se seniority will be on the first date of entry in D
any of the posts either on temporary or regular
-.."'·· basis)

1A. Chief Judge, Smatt Causes Court,

II. Additional District Judges/Additional Chief Judges, E
Small Causes Court.

(Inter se seniority will be as per their first date of
entry in either of the posts, either on temporary or

.. ,. ....
on regular basis.)

Thus, there was unanimity among the two Committees in regard
F

to the unification of the cadre of District Judges as above, and
that the date of categorization should be 1. 7 .1996. This was
accepted by the High Court and State Government. As noticed
G
above, the recommendation of Justice Kapadia Committee in
regard to the unification in the manner aforesaid, with effect
'\ -t
from 1.7.1996, was objected to by the three categories of

-- District Judges : (a) by persons who were directly recruited as
City Civil Court Judges after 1.7.1996; (b) by persons who were
directly recruited as District Judges after 1.7.1996 and (c) by H
270 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 17 S.C.R.
e
\.

A persons who were directly recruited as District Judges prior to
1.7.1996 to initially work as Additional District Judges till
..._~

confirmation and notified as District Judges after 1.7.1996. The
effect of unification and caderisation with effect from 1. 7 .1996
was that the Additional District Judges and Additional Judges
B of the Small Causes Court (described as category-II by the
Committees) would have been placed above those directly
recruited as City Civil Court Judges or District Judges after
1.7.1996.

14. We have already noticed that caderisation by
c integration of multiple categories of posts was not suggested
either in All India Judges Asso'ciation (I) or (//). What was ~
suggested therein was merely I
uniformity in hierarchy,
designation and jurisdictions of judicial officers in civil and
criminal .sides. Shetty Commission, as a corollary to its pay
D scale recommendation, recommended that t~ere should be only
three cadres : District Judges, Civil Judge (Senior Divi~ion) and
Civil Judge (Junior Division), and.multiple categories should be -..~

avoided. But the_ recommendation made in the report dated
11.11.1999 was not binding, until it was accepted by this Court
E and rules were framed in terms of it. The said recommendation
was accepted in All India Judges Association(/11) by judgment
dated 21.3.2002. By the said order, this Court granted time up
to 31.3.2003 to implement the said recommendations. Until the
recommendation was accepted1 and rules were framed, the
F integration/caderisation was a nebulous concept incapable of
,I(_
being claimed or enforced as a right. Further, if caderisation --.f·
was suggested only on 11.11.19.99 and accepted by this court
only on 21.3.2002 by granting time for implementation till
31.3.2003, the seniority of all those who were appointed to the
G t}igher post of City Civil Court. Judges and District Judges
between 1. 7 .1996 and 31.3.200'3 vis-a-vis those who were in
the lower level post of Addi. District Judges and Addi. Chief
+- .r
Judge of Small Cause Court, had to be protected. It should be
remembered that when appointments were made to the post
H . of District Judges or City Civil Court Judges either by direct --
MAHARASHTRA STATE JUDGES ASSON. & ORS. v. 271
.. REGISTRAR GENERAL & ANR. [K.G. BALAKRISHNAN, CJ.]
recruitment or by promotion between 1.7 .1996 and 31.3.2003, A
--x there was no rule or enforceable direction for caderisation by
integrating the lower posts of Addi. District Judges and Addi.
Chi~f Judges of Small Cause Court with the higher posts of
District Judges/City Civil Court Judges/Chief Judge of Small
Cause Courts. Merely because caderisation by integration was B
required to be done with effect from 1. 7 .1996 as Shetty
Committee recommendations for revised pay scales were
given with effect from that date, it does not follow that the
persons who were appointed between 1.7.1996 and 31.3.2003
in the higher posts of District Judges/City Civil Court Judges c
should lose their seniority to persons who were holding lower
posts when they were appointed. Those holding the posts of
Addi. District J.udges and Addi. Chief Judge of Small Cause
Court were at a rung lower than District Judges/City Civil Court
Judges/Chief Judge of Small Cause Court and time was
D
available till 31.3.2003 to equate them with the higher posts in
the hierarchy. Such a benefit was conferred in pursuance of the
..... ,. order dated 21.3.2002 with effect from the date of making rules
for which the last date stipulate was 31.3.2003. Therefore
Justice Gokhale Committee rightly recommended that the
seniority of those appointed between 1. 7 .1996 and 31.3.2003 E
should be protected. All that the proviso to Rule 4(1) has done
is to provide the protection to which those mentioned in the said
proviso were entitled. There is nothing discriminating or illegal·
in the said proviso. Those in the category of Additional District
Judges or Addi. Chief Judges of Small Cause Court have not F
)\
..,.. made any legal right to be placed above those recruited to the
higher post of District Judges and City Civil Coiirt--.Judges
between 1. 7 .1996 and 31.3.2003.

15. We therefore uphold the validity of the Rules. G
Consequently, the writ petition is dismissed as having no
merits.
~
-\

.... RP. Writ Petition dismissed.