AP assembly passes bill changing designations of judges

Vijayawada: The AP Assembly has passed a bill to amend the Andhra Pradesh Civil Courts Act, 1972 seeking substitution for Junior Civil Judge and Senior Civil Judge.

On behalf of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Urban Development Minister Adimulapu Suresh presented the bill in the Assembly on Tuesday.

He said the Supreme Court has directed all High Courts that the designations of judges ought to be uniform across states. The first national judicial pay commission (FNJPC) suggested the nomenclatures as civil Judge (Jr. Division), Civil Judge (Sr.Division) and District Judge."

As for AP, as per the Civil Courts Act, 1972 and the State Judicial Service Rules, 2007, judicial officers are being called junior civil judge, senior civil judge and district judge.

“It is now necessary to amend AP Civil Courts Act, 1972 and the State Judicial Service Rules, 2007. Wherever the nomenclature of judicial officers of the district judiciary is mentioned as Junior Civil Judge and Senior Civil Judge in the Andhra Pradesh Civil Courts Act, 1972, they are to be amended as Civil Judge (Junior Division) and Civil Judge (Senior Division) to be in consonance with the directions of the Supreme Court,” the minister said.

The Assembly passed the amendment unanimously.