NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Madhya Pradesh High Court as to whether it can reconsider in 3 weeks its decision to terminate the services of six women judges.
A two-judge bench of the Top Court, headed by Justice BV Nagarathna and also comprising Justice Sanjay Karol was hearing a suo motu writ petition initiated by the Supreme Court itself over the termination of these judges by the Madhya Pradesh government in June last year.
Last month, the Court issued notice to the Registrar General of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in the suo motu case.
Supreme Court had on January 12 taken Suo motu cognizance of the decision of the Madhya Pradesh government which had in its order terminated six women judges, after it got a recommendation by the Madhya Pradesh High Court finding their probation period unsatisfactory.
The six women judges whose services have been terminated by the Madhya Pradesh govt are; Sarita Chaudhary, Priya Sharma, Rachna Atulkar Joshi, Aditi Kumar Sharma, Sonakshi Joshi and Jyoti Barkhade.
The Apex Court had earlier appointed advocate Gaurav Agarwal as amicus curiae (Friend of the court), who will have to assist the Court in the matter.
Initially, the Madhya Pradesh HC had recommended the termination of the six women judges, after it found that their probation period was unsatisfactory. Therefore it recommended the sacking of these 6 women judges.
Acting on the recommendation of the MP HC, the State govt also in June 2023, terminated the services of these six women judges.
The State Law Department of the MP govt passed the order to sack these 6 woman judges after an administrative committee of it and a full court meeting found their performance during the probation period unsatisfactory.