The Supreme Court of India on Friday called for a response from the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the Registrar of Madhya Pradesh High Court on a petition challenging the selection process for the appointment of Civil Judges. The Court was hearing a petition challenging the minimum 40 percent markets allotted for the marked interview conducted as part of the selection process for appointment to the post of Civil Judge conducted by the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy issued notices to the State Government and the Registrar of the High Court on the petition.

The Apex Court was hearing a petition by Anil Kumar Namdev, filed through advocate Varun Thakur, challenging an order of the High Court which had dismissed his writ petition.

The High Court had said it is not only empowered to prescribe the minimum passing marks in interviews but also constitutionally and statutorily obliged to ensure the "stream of justice" remained pure.

"This can happen only when persons of high merit and unimpeachable character are inducted into the judicial service, which can be inter alia ensured by prescribing of minimum passing marks in the interview," the high court had said.