INDNotice

Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007 (Amended up to 2017) and Amendment Rules, 2025

NOTIFICATIONAdded: 14 Jan 2026Bombay High Court

The Governor of Maharashtra, in consultation with the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, has established the Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007, to regulate the seniority of Judicial Officers in the state. These rules came into force retrospectively from 1st July, 1996.

Key Provisions of the Rules:

1. Short Title and Commencement

  • Title: Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007.
  • Commencement: Deemed to have come into force from 1st July, 1996.

2. Seniority (Rule 3)

  • An officer appointed on a regular basis shall be senior to persons appointed temporarily.
  • For promoted officers, inter-seniority is based on their position in the select list.
  • For direct recruits, inter-seniority is based on the order of names in the select list.
  • In cases of doubt, the Maharashtra Civil Services (Regulation of Seniority) Rules, 1982, shall apply.

3. Initial Seniority of Officers (Rule 4)

  • Unified Cadre of District Judges: Initial seniority as of 1st July 1996 is determined by merging separate lists of District Judges, Judges of City Civil and Sessions Court, Chief Judges of Small Causes Court, and Additional District Judges, while maintaining inter-se-seniority within each original cadre.
  • Unified Cadre of Senior Civil Judges: Initial seniority as of 1st July 1996 is determined with the following hierarchy:
    1. The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.
    2. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates.
    3. Judges, Court of Small Causes and Metropolitan Magistrates.
    4. Civil Judges, Senior Division / Chief Judicial Magistrates.

4. Seniority of District and Senior Civil Judges (Rules 5 & 5A)

  • The seniority of District Judges appointed after the rules came into force is regulated as per a Forty Points Roster provided in Appendix-I.
  • The seniority of Senior Civil Judges is regulated as per a 40 Points Roster in Appendix-II.

5. Gradation Lists (Rule 6)

  • Seniority lists for all cadres are to be prepared and published by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay in January of every year. These lists are used for making promotions.

6. Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) (Amendment) Rules, 2025

  • Notification Date: 27th March 2025
  • Effective Date: 16th February 2017
  • Amendment: In Appendix II of the principal rules, the words "(Through competitive exam)" against point numbers 2, 12, 22, and 32 shall be deleted.

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