Stay on appointing 13 judges

HYDERABAD: The High Court on Tuesday stayed the appointment of 13 district and sessions judges in the state.A division bench comprising justices G Rohini and Ashutosh Mohunta, however, permitted the authorities to appoint four other judges to posts not affected by the pending litigation, and reserved its judgment on a batch of writ petitions which challenged the selection process.The High Court had wanted that the 17 vacancies of district and sessions judges be filled up.After the results of the written test were declared, the rule requiring minimum marks for qualifying in the written test was repealed.Petitions were filed contending that the authorities altered the criteria midway.Moreover, it was contended that the rule was not published in a gazette to come into force.One candidate did not have the minimum standing of seven years at the bar as he was out of the country for nine months.The bench found that the change in rules did not affect the chances of Ch Purushotham Rao, K Sujana, Madhusudana Rao, G Srinivas, and no impediment to their appointment.The bench, reserved its orders in the case.