The Supreme Court on Monday (April 28, 2025) dismissed a petition challenging the Telangana State Judicial Rules, 2023, which mandate proficiency in the Telugu language for candidates applying for the post of civil judge.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih rejected the plea, observing, “It only says you need to know Telugu,” while refusing to interfere with the rule. The petitioner, a practising advocate, had approached the Court after the Telangana High Court upheld the validity of the rule last year.
The advocate had applied for the civil judge position following an April 2024 notification and had questioned the constitutionality of Rules 5.3 and 7 of the 2023 Rules, arguing that the mandatory requirement of Telugu language proficiency was discriminatory. He further requested that proficiency in either Telugu or Urdu be considered sufficient, citing that Urdu holds the status of the second official language in Telangana and that 15% of the state’s population speaks Urdu.
Despite clearing the qualifying examination, the petitioner was unsuccessful in persuading the High Court and the Supreme Court. Before the Telangana High Court, it was contended that the exclusion of Urdu as an alternative language option was arbitrary and violated Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law.
However, the High Court had firmly rejected this argument in its November 2024 judgment. The Court held, “It is trite that it is in the province of the employer to decide about the conditions of service, eligibility and qualification etc. Employer is the best judge to decide about these aspects. The scope of judicial review on these aspects is very limited.” It further stated that the recruitment rule in question could not be considered arbitrary, discriminatory, or unconstitutional.
Highlighting the need for better judicial administration, the High Court noted that the authorities’ decision constituted a “policy decision,” and such decisions could not be invalidated merely because an alternative view was possible.
Affirming the High Court’s reasoning, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain the plea, thereby reinforcing the requirement of Telugu proficiency for civil judge aspirants in Telangana.
