11 names proposed for eight judicial officers’ posts in AFTs: Centre to Punjab and Haryana high court HC

Additional solicitor general of India, Satya Pal Jain told a bench of high court that a meeting of the search-cum-selection committee (SCSC) was held on January 22, which recommended 11 candidates against eight advertised vacancies of judicial officers.

The Centre has told the Punjab and Haryana high court that names of 11 candidates have been sent against eight advertised posts of judicial officers in the Armed Forces Tribunals (AFTs).

The Centre has told the Punjab and Haryana high court that names of 11 candidates have been sent against eight advertised posts of judicial officers in the Armed Forces Tribunals (AFTs). (HT File)

Additional solicitor general of India, Satya Pal Jain told a bench of high court that a meeting of the search-cum-selection committee was held on January 22, which recommended 11 candidates against eight advertised vacancies of judicial officers.

The defence minister has accorded approval to the recommendations and now, the same were sent to the department of personnel and training, on February 3, to be placed before the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for formal approval, the court was informed.

The information was given during resumed hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by one Rahul Sandhu in November 2024, seeking directions to the government to appoint judicial officers in the AFTs.

As per the plea, the advertisement was released in September 2023 but so far, no appointments have been made. It is adversely affecting working of AFTs, the plea claimed, adding that at the Chandigarh AFT, one judicial member was to retire on December 4, 2024, bringing down the strength to three -- one judicial and two administrative. The sanctioned strength is six -- three judicial and three administrative.

AFT has the principal bench in Delhi and 10 regional benches in Chandigarh, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai, Srinagar (presently in Jammu) and Jabalpur.

As per the plea, Chandigarh, which is the largest bench in the country, is grappling with crisis due to acute shortage of judicial officers. It has a pendency of 10,000 cases, the plea claimed seeking immediate appointment of judicial officers.

The matter has now been adjourned for March 5, on which date, Jain has to further update the court on the status of these appointments.