Supreme Court Grants Final Opportunity to States for Compliance with Judicial Pay Commission Recommendations

Supreme Court Grants Final Opportunity to States for Compliance with Judicial Pay Commission Recommendations

VoM News Desk | November 23, 2023 | 07:20 PM IST | Courts & Law | Follow on Google News

Supreme Court Grants Final Opportunity to States for Compliance with Judicial Pay Commission Recommendations

Supreme Court Grants Final Opportunity to States for Compliance with Judicial Pay Commission Recommendations

The Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has granted a final chance to the states and Union territories to comply with the recommendations of the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC). The directions must be implemented by December 8, 2023, to avoid contempt charges against the chief secretaries of defaulting states and Union territories.

Key Aspects of the SNJPC Recommendations

• Pay and Pension Revisions: The SNJPC’s recommendations cover pay structure, pension, family pension, and allowances for lower court judges.
• Permanent Mechanism for Service Conditions: It also addresses the establishment of a permanent mechanism for determining service conditions in the district judiciary.

Compliance Requirements

• Crediting Payments: Compliance includes actual crediting of the owed amounts to judicial officers and, in the case of family pensions, to the surviving spouses.
• Superannuation Age Increase: The High Court of Telangana is permitted to raise the retirement age of judicial officers from 60 to 61 years, aligning with state government officials.

Background of the Issue

• Initial Directions: On May 19, the Supreme Court directed all states to clear salary arrears and other dues as per the SNJPC’s recommendations.
• Acceptance of SNJPC Recommendations: The court had previously accepted the SNJPC’s recommendations, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice P V Reddi.
• Payment of Arrears and Pension: It ordered a phased payment of arrears, pension, and other benefits, with specific deadlines set for each tranche.

Context of the Judicial Pay Commission

• Long-standing Litigation: The case, initiated by the All India Judges Association, dates back to 1993, highlighting the need for an independent judicial pay commission.
• First and Second Judicial Pay Commissions: The First National Judicial Pay Commission (FNJPC) was established in 1996, followed by the SNJPC, which submitted its final report in 2020.

This decision by the Supreme Court underscores the importance of ensuring fair and timely compensation for judicial officers, which is crucial for maintaining the independence and effectiveness of the judiciary.

VoM News Desk

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