West Godavari District Court Special Judicial Magistrate Recruitment 2026 – 7 Posts

West Godavari District Court Special Judicial Magistrate Recruitment 2026

The Principal District Court, West Godavari, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh has issued a Revised Notification, dated 11 August 2026, calling for applications from eligible candidates for inclusion of their names in the panel to fill up the posts of Special Judicial Magistrate of II Class, in pursuance of the “Andhra Pradesh Special Judicial Magistrate of II Class Service Rules, 2024,” against 7 vacancies in the Unit of West Godavari District. This article covers the complete vacancy details, eligibility criteria, honorarium and application process for West Godavari District Court Special Judicial Magistrate Recruitment 2026.

West Godavari Special Judicial Magistrate Recruitment 2026 – Overview

Vacancy Details (Location-wise)

Qualifications

A person shall be qualified for appointment as Special Judicial Magistrate of II Class if the person:

• Held any post in Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service and retired or resigned; OR
• Held a post in the Andhra Pradesh Judicial Ministerial Subordinate Service, not below the rank of Superintendent (Category-III), and has a law degree; OR
• Held a post of Section Officer and above in the Andhra Pradesh High Court Service and has a law degree; OR
• Practiced as an advocate for at least 5 years and is presently not on the rolls of the Bar Council; OR
• Is any retired Gazetted Officer possessing a law degree, or who has passed the criminal judicial test in full, consisting of the IPC and Cr.P.C., or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, conducted by the APPSC, and who has exercised Magisterial powers during their tenure for not less than 3 years.

Note: A suitable retired Judicial Officer shall be given preference.

Disqualifications

A person shall not be eligible for appointment if they are:

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• A practicing advocate.
• A member of any State or local authority, or a member of the State Legislature or Parliament.
• A person who, having held an office under the State/Union Government or local authority, has been dismissed, removed, compulsorily retired, or subjected to any other major penalty for misconduct.
• Convicted and sentenced for an offence involving moral delinquency, or charged with an offence involving moral turpitude with pending proceedings.
• Of unsound mind, deaf, mute, blind, or suffering from leprosy or any other contagious disease.
• In a bigamous marriage (as specifically defined in the Rules).
• Adjudicated as an insolvent or an undischarged insolvent.
• A contractor or businessman, or interested in a subsisting contract or work being done for Central/State Government or a local authority within whose limits the Magistrate would discharge duties.

Age Criteria

Non-practicing advocates with at least 5 years of practice at the Bar, who are above 45 years and below 65 years of age, are eligible. Retired persons who have at least 1.5 years remaining to complete 65 years of age, as on the date of notification, are also eligible.

Unit of Appointment and Method of Appointment

The unit of appointment shall generally be the respective judicial district to which the candidate belongs, since judicial districts are not bifurcated for judiciary purposes in Andhra Pradesh. The Principal District Judge issues the notification 6 months prior to completion of tenure of the sitting Magistrate in the district. On receipt of applications, the Principal District Judge, after scrutiny, forwards only eligible applications to the High Court and the Committee of Judges, which conducts either a written test or interview, or both, to select candidates.

Holding of Court and Honorarium

Special Judicial Magistrates of II Class shall hold Court work for 5 (five) days a week, i.e., from Monday to Friday, between 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM. The honorarium/remuneration payable shall presently be Rs. 45,000/- (Rupees Forty-Five Thousand) per month, plus Rs. 5,000/- (Rupees Five Thousand) per month towards conveyance, subject to enhancement by the Government from time to time.

Leaves

Special Judicial Magistrates of II Class function under the administrative control of the Chief Judicial Magistrate for matters such as grant of leave, drawal of honorarium, inspection of court and permission to assume charge. Every Special Judicial Magistrate of II Class is entitled to casual leave not exceeding 15 days in a calendar year, and is not entitled to any other kind of leave.

How to Apply

1. Applications shall reach the Principal District Court, West Godavari, Eluru, on or before 31 August 2026, till 5:00 PM, in the prescribed proforma, along with necessary attested copies of certificates and passport size photographs (in duplicate).
2. As per the directions of the Hon’ble High Court, candidates applying for the aforementioned posts must submit a single application covering all the posts/places, indicating their order of preference as specified in the proforma.
3. Applications received after the due date will not be considered. The Office is not responsible for any delay in postage.

Revocation of Powers

If any complaint of misconduct against a Special Judicial Magistrate of II Class is received by the High Court, it will be placed before the Committee dealing with the subject. If the Committee finds evidence of misconduct or dereliction of duty, a show-cause notice of not less than 15 days will be issued. Based on the officer’s explanation, the Committee may recommend termination of services, subject to the Government’s final order. A Special Judicial Magistrate may also be removed without a show-cause opportunity if they fail to attend 3 consecutive court sittings without written permission of the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

About This Recruitment

This panel-based recruitment for Special Judicial Magistrates of II Class reflects the Andhra Pradesh judiciary’s mechanism for engaging retired judicial officers, retired gazetted officers, and experienced advocates on a temporary, honorarium basis to handle magisterial workload across various court locations within West Godavari district, including Eluru, Kovvur, Tanuku, Palakol and Jangareddigudem. Since the Rules explicitly give preference to suitable retired Judicial Officers, and the honorarium of Rs. 45,000 plus conveyance is structured as a modest but respectable second-career compensation rather than a full judicial salary, this opportunity is particularly suited to recently retired judicial or senior gazetted officers, as well as senior advocates who have stepped away from active practice, looking to continue contributing to the justice delivery system in a structured, part-time judicial capacity.

Important Links

• Notification PDF
• Official Website
• NaukriPatra App
• WhatsApp Channel
• Telegram Channel

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many total posts are advertised in West Godavari Special Judicial Magistrate Recruitment 2026?

7 posts, across Eluru (2), Kovvur (2), Tanuku (1), Palakol (1) and Jangareddigudem (1).

2. What is the last date to submit the application?

31 August 2026, till 5:00 PM.

3. Who is eligible to apply?

Retired judicial officers, retired gazetted officers with a law degree or who cleared the criminal judicial test, or advocates with at least 5 years of practice who are no longer on the Bar Council rolls.

4. What is the age criterion?

Non-practicing advocates must be above 45 and below 65 years; retired persons must have at least 1.5 years remaining to complete 65 years.

5. What is the honorarium for this post?

Rs. 45,000/- per month, plus Rs. 5,000/- per month towards conveyance.

6. What are the court working hours for a Special Judicial Magistrate?

5 days a week, Monday to Friday, between 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM.

7. Is preference given to retired Judicial Officers?

Yes, a suitable retired Judicial Officer shall be given preference under the Rules.

8. Can a practicing advocate apply for this post?

No, a practicing advocate is explicitly disqualified from appointment under the Rules.

9. How many applications should a candidate submit if applying for multiple locations?

A single application covering all posts/places applied for, indicating the order of preference, as directed by the Hon’ble High Court.

10. What is the leave entitlement for this post?

Casual leave not exceeding 15 days in a calendar year; no other kind of leave is admissible.

11. Who conducts the final selection process?

The High Court and the Committee of Judges, after receiving scrutinized applications forwarded by the Principal District Judge, conduct a written test or interview, or both, and select candidates.

12. Can a person who was dismissed from a previous government post apply?

No, a person who has been dismissed, removed, compulsorily retired, or subjected to a major penalty for misconduct while holding a government office is disqualified from appointment.

13. Is TA/DA responsibility on postal delays borne by the Court?

No, applications received after the due date will not be considered, and the Office is not responsible for any delay in postage.

14. What law is applicable for the criminal judicial test mentioned in the eligibility criteria?

The test covers the Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission.