Ending the deputation of seven judicial officers to various posts in the State government, the Kerala High Court has asked them to get back to judicial work by year-end.
Those who have been asked to come back to the judiciary before the completion of the deputation period include A. M. Basheer, State Legislative Secretary; A. Shajahan, Registrar of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal; and Siju Sheik, Registrar of the Kerala Lok Ayukta. The deputation of two Sub Judges each to the posts of Deputy Registrars in the tribunal and one in the Lok Ayukta and Joint Secretary (Suits) in the State Law Department has also been cancelled.
The Speaker of the Kerala Assembly may shortly approach the High Court seeking to allow the State Legislative Secretary to complete his deputation term.
Usually, the judicial officers are allowed a one-year term as deputation, which is extendable up to three years.
No more deputations
The High Court, while bringing the officers back to the judicial fold, has also told the State government that the service of judicial officers will not be spared any more for non-judicial functions. The court has asked the State government to find its officers for these posts and bring in necessary amendments to the government rules to accommodate either retired judges or serving government officers to the posts.
The High Court has decided not to spare its officers to the post of legal adviser to the Kerala State Electricity Board.
Incidentally, the posts of State Law Secretary and the Kerala Cooperative Tribunal, the Local Self-Government Department Tribunal, the five judges of the Vigilance courts, Kerala Judicial Academy, Registrars of the Kerala High Court, the Sales Tax Appellate Tribunal, the judicial postings in Lakshadweep, which are also deputation posts for judicial officers, will continue.
The court decision comes in the wake of a shortage of judicial officers across the State to attend to judicial duties in courts, legal sources said.
