The plea argues that mandating CLAT appearance as qualification for JAG in unreasonable. It highlights that the notification itself says that the marks obtained in the test will have no role to play in the selection procedure.
The PIL has also challenged the criteria that applicants have to be unmarried, as well as the requirement of not having been arrested in any matter. Notably, the Delhi High Court is already hearing the challenge to the former criteria.
In December 2022, a Division Bench of then Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad had remarked that the policy “does not make any sense” and had asked the Central government to show how the marital status of a person and the training for the JAG department have any correlation.
In March this year, the government stated in response that the bar was a reasonable restriction placed in public interest and national security.
In an affidavit, the government had said that the condition of being unmarried for both male and female candidates between age 21-27 years is restricted only for the period of recruitment and pre-commissioned training, which is necessary because it involves high amount of physical and mental stress, strain and rigours.
Source: Barandbench
