New Delhi: In a major setback to 68 judges of lower courts in Gujarat, the Supreme Court on Friday (May 12) stayed their promotions, including Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Surat Harish Hasmukhbhai Verma. Let us tell you that Surat's CJI Hasmukhbhai Verma had convicted former Congress President Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case in the past.

Court of Apex Court M.R. Shah and the Court of Ct. Ravikumar's bench said that according to the Gujarat State Judicial Service Rules 2005, the principle of merit-cum-seniority and promotion should be done only after passing the qualifying examination. The rules were amended in 2011. The apex court said, 'The list issued by the High Court and the order issued by the State Government for promotion of District Judges are illegal and contrary to the judgment of this Court. Hence it cannot be sustained.'

The top court said, 'We ban the implementation of the promotion list. The concerned officers who got the promotion are sent back to their original posts on which they were posted before their promotion. The Supreme Court passed an interim order staying the promotion and directed the matter to be listed before an appropriate bench for hearing as Justice Shah is retiring on May 15.'

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