The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the orders
terminating the services of two women judicial officers in Madhya Pradesh in
2023, terming the action as "punitive, arbitrary and illegal".
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar
Singh directed that the two officers be reinstated in service within 15 days.
"The termination of these two judicial officers
is punitive, arbitrary and therefore illegal," Justice Nagarathna said
while pronouncing the verdict.
Justice Nagarathna said the verdict also discusses
issue of women in Indian judiciary.
On December 17, 2024, the top court had reserved its
verdict in the matter pertaining to the termination of two women judicial
officers by the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
On November 11, 2023, the top court had taken a suo
motu cognisance of the termination of six women civil judges by the state
government over their alleged unsatisfactory performance.
However, a full court of the Madhya Pradesh High
Court reconsidered its earlier resolutions on August 1, 2024 and decided to
reinstate four officers-- Jyoti Varkade, Sushri Sonakshi Joshi, Sushri Priya
Sharma and Rachna Atulkar Joshi -- on certain terms and conditions, leaving out
the other two, Aditi Kumar Sharma and Sarita Chaudhary from the exercise.