CASE NAME: In Re: Termination of Civil Judge, Class II (JR. Division) Madhya Pradesh State Judicial Service

Six female justices were dismissed by the Madhya Pradesh government in June of last year after the Madhya Pradesh High Court recommended it. The High Court of Madhya Pradesh was criticized by the Supreme Court on Tuesday for the way it dismissed the female civil judges in the state and denied some of them reinstatement.

When judges are experiencing emotional and physical pain, the case disposal rate cannot be used as a metric, according to a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh. Saying ‘dismissed-dismissed’ and heading home is extremely simple. Can lawyers claim that we are slow while we are hearing this case in great detail? Do not call someone slow or send them home if they are experiencing bodily or mental agony, especially if they are a woman. If male judges and judicial officers are subject to the same standards, we’ll see what happens. How can you have goal units (of case disposal) for district judiciary?” Today, Justice Nagarathna made a statement.

On December 12, the issue will now be discussed further. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the Madhya Pradesh government’s June 2023 dismissal of the six justices in January. After an administrative committee and a full court meeting of High Court justices determined that their performance during the probationary period was inadequate, the law department issued the termination orders. The top court had asked the High Court verbally in a hearing in February if it would be open to reexamining its ruling. In July, the Supreme Court once more requested that the Madhya Pradesh High Court rule on the impacted judges’ arguments within a month.