Which one of the following statements regarding qualifications for appointing special judge under the Prevention of Corruption Act is correct?

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (c) Additional Sessions Judge.

Explanation

The qualifications for the appointment of a Special Judge are explicitly mentioned in Section 3(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988.

According to this section:

"A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a special Judge under this Act unless he is or has been a Sessions Judge or an Additional Sessions Judge or an Assistant Sessions Judge under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 now BNSS 2023."

• (a) is incorrect: A Judicial Magistrate does not meet the seniority requirement. The Act mandates that the officer must be of the rank of a Sessions Judge (or Additional/Assistant).
• (b) is incorrect: 'Group A' officers are executive branch officials. The role of a Special Judge is a judicial one and must be held by a member of the judiciary.
• (c) is correct: As per the statutory requirement mentioned above, an Additional Sessions Judge is qualified for this appointment.
• (d) is incorrect: Lawyers are not directly appointed as Special Judges through a competitive exam for this specific purpose; the appointee must already be (or have been) a serving member of the higher judiciary (Sessions level).