A mace bearer carries a mace and walks ahead of the judge when he/ she moves from his chamber to the courtroom. The Madras High Court has selected its first female mace-bearer/chobdar.
Justice RN Manjula was the first judge to use the services of a woman chobdar.
Justice Manjula is now a member of the Gender Sensitization and Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the Madras High Court’s Principal Seat.
On March 14, last year, the High Court posted a notice on its official website seeking 40 chobdars, 310 office assistants, and random openings for chef, waterman, chamber boy, watchman, book restorer, and library attendant. The candidates were given Pay Level I, which ranged from INR15,700 to INR50,000.
According to the 2021 recruiting announcement, the following qualifications must be met in order to be selected as a mace bearer:
- Completion of VIII Standard or its equivalent
- Minimum age of 18 years, maximum age of 30 years (35 for reserved category candidates)
Candidates must also take a common written examination, as well as a practical and an oral exam.
