The Supreme Court's recent ruling grants a Delhi-based lawyer the opportunity to submit an application for the Telangana Civil Judge (Junior Division) Examination of 2024.

During the hearing of a challenge against the Telangana High Court's decision upholding the eligibility criteria mandating candidates to possess local Bar experience for the examination, a Division Bench consisting of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra issued the order.

Given the information that the deadline for application for the examination was May 17, the Court provided interim relief to V Rakesh Reddy, a member of the Delhi Bar Council.

According to Rule 6(A)(1) of the recruitment notification in conjunction with Rule (5.2)(A) of the Telangana State Judicial Services Rules of 2023, it is mandatory for candidates applying for the examination to be practitioners affiliated with the local bar association. Additionally, candidates must provide a certificate of practice issued by the respective association as evidence thereof.

The petitioner, being a lawyer practicing in Delhi, would have been ineligible to apply under the eligibility criteria outlined in the 2023 rules and the recruitment notification.

Earlier this month, the High Court affirmed the validity of the 2023 rules and recruitment notification, which include provisions concerning age limits for entry into judicial service in Telangana and the prerequisite for candidates to have practiced within Telangana to qualify for the judicial services examination.

Following the dismissal, Reddy appealed to the apex court, seeking relief. In response, the top court granted the candidates interim relief, allowing them to apply for the latest vacancy notification issued in Telangana.

Considering the interim order granted in a related case, the Court found it suitable to extend the same relief to the present petitioner. Consequently, the Court consolidated the present plea with the aforementioned case and scheduled a hearing for after the Court's upcoming summer recess.