The Bombay High Court on Friday said it was not necessary to make proficiency in Marathi a mandatory qualification "at the threshold" while appointing the director of Maharashtra Fire Services. A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and R I Chagla was irked when it was told that the post was vacant since December 2014.

It was hearing public interest litigation filed by activist Sharmila Ghughe on the issue of fire safety rules. One of the criteria for the director's post is that the candidate should be proficient in Marathi, it was informed.