INDNotice

Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007 (Amended 2025)

NOTIFICATIONAdded: 10 Oct 2025Bombay High Court

The Governor of Maharashtra, in exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to Article 309 read with Articles 233 and 235 of the Constitution of India, and after consultation with the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, has made these rules to regulate the seniority of Judicial Officers in the Judicial Service of the State.

1. Short Title

These rules are called the Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007.

2. Commencement

These rules are deemed to have come into force from 1st July 1996.

3. Seniority

  • Regular vs. Temporary Appointments: An Officer appointed on a regular basis is senior to persons appointed temporarily.
  • Promotions: For officers promoted to a cadre at the same time, inter-seniority is based on their positions in the select list.
  • Direct Recruitment: For direct recruits to a cadre, inter-se-seniority is based on the order of their names in the select list.
  • Application of other Rules: In case of doubt or silence in these rules, the Maharashtra Civil Services (Regulation of Seniority) Rules, 1982, shall apply to fix the seniority of Judicial Officers.

4. Initial Seniority of Officers Forming Unified Cadre of District Judges

(1) Determination on Commencement Date:

  • a) Separate Lists: As of 1st July 1996, separate lists are drawn up for existing cadres of District Judges, Judges of City Civil and Sessions Court; Chief Judges and Additional Chief Judges of Small Causes Court; and Additional District Judges, based on their existing seniority.
  • b) Merged Lists: Lists of District Judges / Joint District Judges and Judges of City Civil Court are merged by arranging officers according to their entry dates (temporary or regular), while maintaining inter-se-seniority of officers within each original cadre.
  • b) (ii) Chief Judge of Small Causes: The name of the Chief Judge of the Court of Small Causes is appended to the list prepared under sub-clause (b)(i).
    • Proviso: Officers appointed as City Civil Court Judges or District Judges after 1st July 1996 but before 31st March 2003 (by direct recruitment or promotion) are included in a common list, with seniority based on their appointment date. These officers are placed enbloc in the initial seniority list, immediately below those in Rule 4(1)(b)(i) and before those in Rule 4(1)(b)(ii) and 4(1)(c).
  • c) Additional Judges: Lists of Additional District Judges and Additional Chief Judges of the Court of Small Causes are merged by arranging officers according to their entry dates (temporary or regular), while maintaining inter-se-seniority within each original cadre. This prepared list is appended below the Chief Judge, Court of Small Causes.

(2) Subsequent Appointments

Officers appointed to posts in the unified cadre of District Judges on or after 1st July 1996 (excluding those covered by the proviso to Rule 4(1)(b)(ii)) are placed below existing officers (as on 1st July 1996) and those under Rule 4(1), based on their first permanent or temporary appointment date to any post in the unified cadre of District Judges.

(3) Initial Seniority in Unified Cadre of Senior Civil Judges (as on 1st July 1996)

  • a) The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate is placed on top.
  • b) Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates are placed below the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.
  • c) Judges, Court of Small Causes and Metropolitan Magistrates are placed below Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates.
  • d) Civil Judges, Senior Division / Chief Judicial Magistrates are placed below Judges, Court of Small Causes and Metropolitan Magistrates.

Inter-se-seniority within each of the above four blocks is determined by the date of entry into the respective block on a permanent and temporary basis.

(4) Senior Civil Judges Appointments (Amended 16th February 2017)

Subject to Rule 5A, officers appointed to any post in the unified cadre of Senior Civil Judges on or after 1st July 1996 are placed below officers in the seniority list as on 1st July 1996, based on their first permanent or temporary appointment date. Inter-se-seniority in each original cadre is maintained.

5. Seniority of District Judges

Subject to Rule 4(1) and (2), the seniority of officers appointed to the cadre of District Judge is regulated as per the Forty Points Roster in Appendix-I.

  • Proviso (Effective 6th February 2012): For 10% or 65% (whichever is higher), inter-se-seniority in 65% promotional appointments will be based on their seniority in the cadre of Senior Civil Judges.

5A. Seniority of Senior Civil Judges

Subject to Rule 4(3) and (4), the seniority of Senior Civil Judges appointed on or after the amendment in entry 2 in TABLE "C" of rule 5 of the Maharashtra Judicial Service Rules, 2008, by the Maharashtra Judicial Service (Amendment) Rules, 2015, is regulated as per the 40 Points Roster in Appendix-II.

  • Proviso: For 10% or 90% (whichever is higher), inter-se-seniority in 90% promotional appointments will be based on their seniority in the cadre of Civil Judges Junior Division.

6. Gradation Lists

Every year in January, seniority lists of Officers in all cadres are prepared and published by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, and these lists are used for making promotions to the next higher cadre.

APPENDIX – I: 40 Points Roster (For District Judges)

(As renumbered by notification dated 16.02.2017)

  1. Direct recruit.
  2. Direct recruit.
  3. Promotee (Through competitive exam.).
  4. Promotee.
  5. Promotee.
  6. Promotee.
  7. Promotee.
  8. Promotee.
  9. Promotee.
  10. Promotee.
  11. Direct recruit.
  12. Direct recruit.
  13. Direct recruit.
  14. Promotee (Through competitive exam.).
  15. Promotee.
  16. Promotee.
  17. Promotee.
  18. Promotee.
  19. Promotee.
  20. Promotee.
  21. Direct recruit.
  22. Direct recruit.
  23. Promotee (Through competitive exam.).
  24. Promotee.
  25. Promotee.
  26. Promotee.
  27. Promotee.
  28. Promotee.
  29. Promotee.
  30. Promotee.
  31. Direct recruit.
  32. Direct recruit.
  33. Direct recruit.
  34. Promotee (Through competitive exam.).
  35. Promotee.
  36. Promotee.
  37. Promotee.
  38. Promotee.
  39. Promotee.
  40. Promotee.

APPENDIX – II: 40 Points Roster (For Senior Civil Judges)

(Inserted by Notification dated 16.02.2017)

  1. Promotee (Through competitive exam).
  2. Promotee.
  3. Promotee.
  4. Promotee.
  5. Promotee.
  6. Promotee.
  7. Promotee.
  8. Promotee.
  9. Promotee.
  10. Promotee.
  11. Promotee (Through competitive exam).
  12. Promotee.
  13. Promotee.
  14. Promotee.
  15. Promotee.
  16. Promotee.
  17. Promotee.
  18. Promotee.
  19. Promotee.
  20. Promotee.
  21. Promotee (Through competitive exam).
  22. Promotee.
  23. Promotee.
  24. Promotee.
  25. Promotee.
  26. Promotee.
  27. Promotee.
  28. Promotee.
  29. Promotee.
  30. Promotee.
  31. Promotee (Through competitive exam).
  32. Promotee.
  33. Promotee.
  34. Promotee.
  35. Promotee.
  36. Promotee.
  37. Promotee.
  38. Promotee.
  39. Promotee.
  40. Promotee.

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

(Notification No. HCT-1224/1085/C.R. 118/Desk-3, dated 27th March 2025)

  1. These Rules may be called Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
  2. It shall be deemed to have come into force from 16th February 2017.
  3. In Appendix II, appended to the Maharashtra Judicial Service (Seniority) Rules, 2007, the words "(Through competitive exam)" against point Nos. 2, 12, 22, and 32 shall be deleted.

Issued by order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra, by Vilas Shivaji Khandbahale, Deputy Legal Adviser and Deputy Secretary to the Government.

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