The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea challenging the compulsory retirement of a judicial officer from Uttar Pradesh, effectively endorsing the state government’s 2021 decision based on a screening committee’s evaluation of the officer’s service record.
A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and K. Vinod Chandran refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court’s April 2024 judgment, which upheld the officer’s removal from service. The officer, appointed as a munsif/civil judge (junior division) in March 2001, was compulsorily retired in November 2021. At the time of retirement, he was serving as a Special Judge under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The petitioner had contended that his track record was “exemplary” and that he had earned promotions, arguing before the bench, “I am not a deadwood.” However, the top court remarked, “Kindly give some credence to the wisdom of the full court,” signaling deference to the institutional evaluation process undertaken by the judiciary itself.
The Allahabad High Court, in its detailed judgment, had noted that a screening committee had been constituted to assess the performance and service history of judicial officers to “chop the deadwood.” The committee recommended the officer’s compulsory retirement after an overall review of his record, a recommendation that was later approved by the full court of the High Court.
The Supreme Court, agreeing with the High Court’s rationale, concluded, “We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment and order. The special leave petition is, accordingly, dismissed.”
Had he not been retired, the officer was due to attain the age of superannuation in February 2026.
