The district judge is also called "metropolitan session judge" when presiding over a district court in a city which is designated "metropolitan area" by the state.

A minimum of seven years of practice as a lawyer at bar is a necessary qualification for direct entry level to become a district judge upon a written examination and oral interview by a committee of high court judges, the appointment of district judges is notified by the state government.

This is referred to as direct recruitment which is also known as Higher Judicial Service.

District judges are also appointed by way promotion (from Civil Service - Judicial) from district courts after fulfilling minimum years of service but unfortunately the entry level district judge exams have caused the judges on the lower rungs of the judiciary to become lax as their chances of filling up posts for the work they had done may never fructify to promotions because of posts later being filled up by lawyers directly becoming district judges.

High court judges are usually appointed from a pool of advocates practicing at the bar of the high court and district judges who served for sufficient number of years.

This has also caused district judges to wane in their efficiency as they have come to realize that elevation of lawyers directly to high court judges dampens their process of being awarded with promotions for the work they've put in over many years of service.

As per this code the maximum sentence a sessions judge of district court may award to a convict is capital punishment.