Computer knowledge must for judges: SC

New Delhi: Judges should have basic computer knowledge at the time of appointment and a candidate who fails to fulfil the requirement can be denied employment, the Supreme Court has ruled.




Abench of Justices Mukundakam Sharma and A R Dave passed the ruling while dismissing a Civil Judge aspirant Vijendra Kumar Verma’s plea challenging the decision of Uttarakhand government to reject his candidature after he failed to display basic computer knowledge.
“It is also to be considered that the Indian judiciary is taking steps to apply e-governance for efficient management of courts. In the near future, all the courts in the country will be computerised. In that respect, new judges who are being appointed are expected to have basic knowledge of the computer operation.
“It will be unfair to overlook basic knowledge of computer operation to be an essential condition for being a judge.... Therefore, we are of the considered opinion that requirement of having basic knowledge of computer operation should not be diluted,” the Bench said in a judgment.
Verma had challenged the eligibility criteria adopted for direct recruitment of civil judges under Rule 8 of Uttarakhand Judicial Service that a candidate apart from a Law degree must possess a thorough knowledge of Hindi and basic knowledge of computers operations. PTI