Pleas challenging min age criteria to apply for DJ post: HC defers DHJS exam by 4 weeks

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Friday deferred by four weeks the Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) Examination-2022, which was to be held on March 20, while hearing a batch of pleas challenging the minimum age criteria of 35 years fixed for applying for the post of the district judge.

A bench of Justices Manmohan and S K Jain issued notice to the administrative side of the Delhi High Court, through its Registrar, and Delhi government's Department of Law and Justice and asked them to respond to the petitions.

While the last date of filling online application form was March 12, the Preliminary Exam was scheduled for March 20.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on April 7.

The petitioners, who are practicing advocates and aspirants of the exam, challenged the February 8 notification by the Department of Law and Justice by which the minimum age limit for appearing in the DHJS exam from the Bar has been introduced by amending the earlier recruitment Rules.

The fixation of the lower age limit is violative of the right to equality enshrined under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution, the petitioners contended.