The Hindu : Implement higher pay scales for judicial officers: SC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 10, 2003

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Implement higher pay scales for judicial officers: SC

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI May 9. The Supreme Court today directed all the States to implement the report of the Shetty Commission recommending higher pay scales for judicial officers in "letter and spirit''.

A three-Judge Bench, comprising the Chief Justice V.N. Khare, Justice S. Rajendra Babu and Justice M.B. Shah, made it clear to the Chief Secretaries and the Advocates- Genera1, of 17 States who appeared in person that ``we don't want any excuse. Our order has become final and all States must implement the recommendations in letter and spirit''.

Today the court was informed by Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan that they had implemented the report. Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura and West Bengal sought some more time to fully implement the recommendations.

The Bench asked them to file an affidavit indicating the manner in which they proposed to implement the revised pay scales and pay arrears.

It, however, deferred for the time being the implementation of the report in Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Regarding the Union Territories, the Bench did not accept the Attorney General's submission that some modifications had been made in the pay scales, but in most of the cases the allowances had been hiked.

Amicus curiae F.S. Nariman submitted to the court that if the Centre was allowed to modify the pay scales, it would send wrong signals and set a bad example.

The Bench agreed with Mr. Nariman and said uniformity in all respects was necessary and there was no question of dilution or modification of the payscales.

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