Salaries of Supreme Court, High Court judges likely to go up

NEW DELHI: Judges of the Supreme Court and 24 high courts may soon get a fatter pay packet as the government is likely to bring a bill in this regard in the next session of Parliament.

Chief Justice of India T S Thakur had recently written to the government seeking a hike in salaries of Supreme Court and high court judges based on the recommendations made by a committee of judges which was set to by the CJI to look into the issue of salary and emoluments.

Sources in the government said the issue is under active consideration and a bill to amend The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Act may come up in the Budget session of Parliament which may begin in the first week of February.

"It has to go through the paces. First the inter- ministerial consultations then the approval of the Union Cabinet," explained a government functionary.

While the sources refused to share details of the quantum of hike sought by the CJI, they said to effect the pay hike, the Act has to amended.

They said the quantum of the hike will not be as recommended by the judges committee.

The judges' committee recommended a pay hike of Rs 2.8 lakh for SC judges, Rs 2.5 lakh for HC judges. A Supreme Court judge at present gets Rs 1.5 lakh a month in hand after all deductions from salary and allowances. The CJI gets a higher amount than this, while the judges of the high court get a lesser amount. This amount does not include the rent-free residences provided to the judges while they are in service.

After the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, the matter was already under the consideration of the government.

As the Winter session of Parliament is coming to an end tomorrow, the sources said the bill would now come up in the Budget session.