‘Should Act As Parents To Judicial Officers’: SC Tells Jharkhand HC To Grant Relief To Judge

NCLAT

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Jharkhand High Court to accommodate a woman judicial officer’s request for a posting that would allow her to stay closer to her son, who is preparing for Class 12 board exams.

A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said high courts must be mindful of the personal challenges faced by judicial officers. “They should act like parents, not make such matters an ego issue,” the bench remarked.

Transfer Dispute

The officer, an Additional District Judge from the Scheduled Caste category, was posted in Hazaribagh but later transferred to Dumka after her request for 6 months of childcare leave was turned down. She told the court that Dumka lacked quality CBSE schools and sought a posting in Hazaribagh, Ranchi, or Bokaro instead.

The bench agreed and told the High Court to either let her continue in Hazaribagh or transfer her to Bokaro until the exams are over, likely by March–April 2026. The High Court has two weeks to comply.

Background

She had initially asked for six months’ leave (June–December) to help her son prepare for the exams. The rules allow judicial officers up to 730 days of childcare leave, but she was granted only three months. Dissatisfied, she approached the Supreme Court, which had earlier sought responses from the state government and High Court registry.