Supreme Court Reviews Termination of Woman Judicial Officers

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on the termination of two woman judicial officers by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Despite reinstating four officers, Aditi Kumar Sharma and Sarita Chaudhary were left out. Performance assessments considered the impact of Covid-19 and personal hardships.

The Supreme Court reserved its judgment on Tuesday regarding the termination of two woman judicial officers by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh presided over the case, which involved senior lawyers advocating for the affected officers.

The complexities of maintaining professional performance amidst personal challenges, such as Aditi Kumar Sharma's miscarriage and family health issues, were highlighted. The court previously noted the difficulty of quantitatively assessing performance due to the Covid pandemic.

Despite the initial termination of six officers, a reconsideration led to the reinstatement of four individuals, excluding Sharma and Sarita Chaudhary. The decision scrutinizes performance ratings, with arguments pointing to fundamental rights under maternity and health considerations.

(With inputs from agencies.)