May 12, 2023 11:30 am | Updated 02:47 pm ISTThe Supreme Court on Friday stayed the promotion of 68 judicial officers in Gujarat, including that of Surat Chief Judicial Magistrate Harish Hasmukhbhai Varma, who had convicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment. Shah said the promotion of the judicial officers was in violation of the “merit-cum-seniority principle”. Two senior civil judge cadre officers, Ravikumar Maheta and Sachin Prataprai Mehta, had approached the apex court against the selection of the 68 judicial officers to the higher cadre of district judges. “We are more than satisfied that the impugned list issued by the High Court and the subsequent order issued by the State government granting promotion to district judges are illegal and contrary to the decision of this court. after the receipt of the notice issued by this court in the present proceedings,” the top court said in its order on April 28.

Source: The Hindu May 13, 2023 04:09 UTC