SC Stays Promotion Of CJM Who Convicted Rahul Gandhi, 67 Other Gujarat Judges

New Delhi: Surat chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Harish Hasmukhbhai Varma, who had convicted Rahul Gandhi in the Modi name defamation case in March, is among 68 lower court judges in Gujarat whose promotions were stayed by Supreme Court on Friday.

A bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar came down hard on the state government for notifying the promotions when their legality was sub-judice.

“The promotions must be made on principle of merit-cum-seniority and on passing a suitability test. Recommendations by high court and subsequent government notification are illegal,” the bench pronounced, reported Live Law.

“We are more than satisfied that the impugned list issued by the high court and the subsequent order issued by the state government granting promotion to district judges are illegal and contrary to the decision of this court. The same are, therefore, not sustainable,” Justices Shah and Ravikumar said.