LI Network
Published on: January 5, 2024 at 09:30 IST
The Supreme Court has issued directives to state governments to settle arrears for judges according to enhanced payscales recommended by the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) by February 29, 2024.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud stated that a judgment in the All India Judges Association case, containing these instructions, will be uploaded soon.
The judgment also entails instructions for High Courts to establish Committees overseeing SNJPC recommendations. These Committees, consisting of two High Court judges, the State Government’s Law Secretary, and the High Court’s Registrar General, will oversee the disbursal of arrears, reporting to the Supreme Court by April 7, 2024.
The Committees will also determine benchmarks for hospital empanelment, ensuring access to specialized treatment if unavailable locally.
The CJI emphasized the Committees’ role in monitoring the implementation process, verifying prior court orders on salary and pension arrears.
These directions stem from the June 2022 directive by the Supreme Court, mandating the implementation of enhanced pay scales from January 1, 2016, and the subsequent May 2023 revised guidelines on arrears’ payment in three installments.
