Supreme Court on Friday including Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Harish Hasmukhbhai Verma The Supreme Court will pronounce judgment on a plea challenging the promotion of judicial officers who convicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of criminal defamation and sentenced him to two years in prison.
The petition filed by two judicial officers of the senior civil judge cadre has challenged the promotion of these judicial officers to the post of district judges under the 65 per cent quota rule.
It was argued in the petition that as per the Recruitment Rules, the post of District Judge was to be filled on the basis of merit-cum-seniority keeping 65 per cent reservation and passing the suitability test. However, the merit-cum-seniority principle was sidelined and appointments were made on the basis of seniority-cum-merit.
The petitioners had sought quashing of the selection list issued by the Gujarat High Court on March 10 and the subsequent notification of the state government appointing them. He had also sought a direction to the High Court to prepare a “fresh merit list” based on the principle of merit-cum-seniority. A bench of Justice MR Shah and Justice CT Ravikumar issued notice in the petition on April 13.
The bench had asked the high court to “place on record the complete merit list” and specify whether promotion to the post was to be granted on the basis of seniority-cum-merit or merit-cum-seniority.
Who is Judge Verma who convicted Rahul Gandhi?
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been convicted by a metropolitan magistrate court in Surat in the ‘Modi surname’ case. The case was heard by Judge Harish Hasmukhbhai Verma. He is posted as CJM in the District and Sessions Court of Surat.
According to a report in Aaj Tak, 43-year-old Justice Verma has 10 years of experience in judicial service. He is from Vadodara And he has studied law from Maharaja Sayaji Rao University.
After completing LLB, he appeared for Judicial Services Exam and was appointed as Judicial Officer in 2008. On the orders of the Gujarat High Court, CJM Harish Hasmukh Bhai Verma heard Rahul’s case on priority and gave this verdict.