Supreme Court: Low Case Disposal Rate Alone Cannot Justify Judge’s Termination
- Case Name: Sarita Choudhary vs. High Court of Madhya Pradesh & Another
- Judge(s): Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh
The Supreme Court has ruled that low disposal rates and case pendency cannot be the sole reasons for terminating judges, especially when external factors like court vacancies, procedural delays, and personal hardships affect judicial performance.
The bench reinstated Madhya Pradesh judicial officers Sarita Choudhary and Aditi Kumar Sharma, whose 2023 termination orders were based on Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) and low disposal rates.
The Court noted that systemic challenges and personal hardships, including Sharma’s severe COVID-19 case and miscarriage, were ignored in the evaluation.
The Court emphasized the need for fair assessment processes and better gender representation in the judiciary, ensuring an inclusive legal system.
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