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Parliament okays hefty pay hike for judges

The salary of the Chief Justice of India will be increased to Rs 33,000 per month from Rs 10,000. Judges of the Supreme Court will get Rs 30,000 instead of Rs 9,000. The chief justice of a high court will get an increased salary of Rs 30,000 instead Rs 9,000 and judges of high court will get Rs 26,000 instead of Rs 8,000.

The legislation seeking to amend the conditions of services of high court and Supreme Court judges to enhance their salaries with effect from January 1, 1996 was approved by the Lok Sabha today.

The President had promulgated the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (conditions of service) Amendment Ordinance, 1998 on April 24 this year to give effect to the increase in the salaries of the judges.

The bill, which was passed today by a voice vote by the House, was to replace the ordinance.

The bill was piloted by Power Minister P Rangarajan Kumaramangalam as Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs M Thambidurai was not present in the house. A C Jose (Congress) and Suresh Kurup (CPI-M) wanted to know why Kumaramangalam was piloting such an important bill when Thambidurai was in the city. P M Sayeed who was in the chair, informed that the Speaker had permitted Kumaramangalam to pilot the bill.

Kumaramangalam said the salaries of the judges of the Supreme Court and high court were last revised with effect from April 1, 1986. Since then no revision had taken place. The Fifth Central Pay Commission had recommended the revision in the salaries and other allowances of central government employees including the members of All India Service. The government had already accepted a majority of the recommendations and implemented them with effect from January 1, 1996.

The government felt the necessity of increasing the salaries of the judges of the Supreme Court and high court. Since Parliament was not in session, the President promulgated an ordinance to increase their salaries on April 24.

Participating in the debate, members cutting across party lines fully supported the bill. They said the judiciary should be independent and members of the judiciary should not be under any pressure or constraints. Some of them even argued for further enhancement of the salaries than suggested in the bill.

Dr T Subbarami Reddy (Congress) said judges hold very important positions and the government should provide all necessary service conditions to enhance their prestige in society. Professor P J Kurien (Congress) suggested the setting up of at least three more benches of the Supreme Court -- in the east, west and south so that people from far away places who want to seek justice could save time and money for any redressal.

Satyapal Jain (BJP) wanted salary of judicial magistrates also to be raised. Suresh Kurup said a judicial commission could be appointed which can recommend names for appointment of judges. He also wanted to improve the service conditions of lower judiciary officers.

Ajit Panja (Trinamul Congress) also pleaded for the improvement of service conditions of lower judiciary officers, saying otherwise there will be a total depression. Mohan Singh (JD), G L Bhargava (BJP), Sushil Kumar Shinde and Shivraj Patil (both Congress), T R Balu (DMK), Professor Saifuddin Soz (National Conference) also participated in the debate.

UNI

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