law: 36. Temporary vacancy in the office of district judge.-
  In the event of death of a district judge or of his being prevented from performing his duties by illness or other cause or of his absence from the civil district on leave, the additional district judge, if any, in the district or where there is no additional district judge, the senior-most subordinate judge, or as the case may be, the senior-most munsiff in the district shall assume charge of the district court without interruption of his ordinary jurisdiction and being so in charge shall perform the duties of the district judge with respect to the filing of suits and appeals, receiving pleadings, execution of processes, return of writs and the like, and shall be designated as the additional district judge or the subordinate judge or the munsiff, as the case may be, in charge of the district and shall continue in such charge until the office of the district judge has been resumed by him or assumed by an officer duly appointed thereto.