Telangana Judges Association vs Union Of India .

The impugned notification issued by respondent No.2 without constituting Telangana State Judicial   Service   and   without   preparing   State   wise   cadre strength   of   respective   States   would   affect   the   seniority   as well   as   promotion   of   the   Telangana   State   Judicial   Officers whose   strength   is   at   present   25%   only   in   comparison   with 3 Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Officers.

The above modifications have been approved by the Full Court of the Hon'ble existing High Court.   The   DoPT,   Govt.   of   India   accepts   the above­mentioned   modifications   which   have   been approved by the Hon'ble existing High Court.

(2)   An   order   made   under   clause   (1)   may,   in particular,—

(i)   for   direct   recruitment   to   posts   in   any local cadre (whether organised in pursuance of an   order   under   this   article   or   constituted otherwise) under the State Government;

(ii)   for   direct   recruitment   to   posts   in   any cadre   under   any   local   authority   within   the State; and

(iii)   for   the   purposes   of   admission   to   any University   within   the   State   or   to   any   other educational institution which is subject to the control of the State Government;

(c)   specify   the   extent   to   which,   the   manner   in which   and   the   conditions   subject   to   which, preference or reservation shall be given or made—

(i)   in   the   matter   of   direct   recruitment   to posts   in   any   such   cadre   referred   to   in sub­clause   (b)   as   may   be   specified   in   this behalf in the order;

49. For   the   reasons   already   indicated   above,   the   guidelines formulated by Kamalanathan Committee in context of other Civil Services are not relevant nor any support can be taken on the basis of said guidelines.

The word ‘option’ is a synonym for ‘choice’ or ‘pref­ erence’.

OPTION,   CHOICE.   We   speak   of   option   only   as   regards one’s freedom from external constraint in the act of choosing   :   one   speaks   of   choice   only   as   the   simple act itself.   The option or the power of choosing is given:   the   choice   itself   is   made   :   hence   we   say   a thing is at a person’s option.”

58. All   the   Judicial   Officers   belonging   to   Telangana   State having opted and allocated the Telangana State, practically, we   do   not   find   any   error   in   the   operation   of   guidelines finalised by the High Court.

59. In view of foregoing discussions, we are of the view that modified guidelines as submitted by the High Court vide letter dated   08.07.2017,   which   has   been   accepted   by   DoPT   does   not suffer from any illegality or error.  The above guidelines is to   be   accepted   and   approved.     In   view   of   the   foregoing discussions, we dispose of the writ petition with direction to respondents to finalise options of all the Judicial Officers as   per   the   above   guideline   and   complete   the   process   of allocation within a period of two months from today.

60. Now,   coming   to   the   Civil   Appeals   arising   out   of   S.L.P. (C)   No.   18787­18790   of   2016,   the   appellants   themselves   in their submissions have not pressed the quashing of Recruitment 53 2014   and   2015.     Further,   Andhra   Pradesh   Judicial   Service Rules,   2007   as   adopted   by   State   of   Telangana,   which   was quashed by the High Court is now substituted by fresh Rules namely, Telangana State Judicial Service Rules, 2017.  All the issues   raised   in   the   above   Civil   Appeals   arising   out   of special   leave   petitions   have   become   academic   and   needs   no consideration. The   Civil   Appeals   having   become   virtually infructuous are dismissed accordingly. The parties shall bear their own costs.