Early Diwali for 21,000 District Court Judges as Pay hike to be structured by Judicial Pay Commission

October 8,2017:

The Third Pay Commission is now constituted after a wait of 10 long years.

Its findings will benefit more than 21,000 judges in India’s Subordinate Judiciary who are set to get a pay hike.

Government has finalised the modalities and the logistical framework of Third National Judicial Pay Commission (NJPC) for the same.

Supreme Court had ordered constitution of NJPC earlier this year.

NJPC is supposed to review pay structure, pension and the other service conditions of the judges belonging to the lower judiciary.

Law Ministry has prepared a detailed proposal with the Terms of the Reference for guidance of Commission. It is likely to submit proposal to Union Cabinet on October 11.

Three-member commission, will be headed by Former Kerala High Court Judge Justice PV Reddy, will also have Supreme Court lawyer R Basant as a member.

Third member will be chosen by Commission and he/she could be a serving or retired judicial officer.

Judges of lower judiciary last got a hike with effect from 2006 after the recommendation of second NJPC led by Justice Padmanabhan.

Senior Official in Law Ministry has stated that Ministry has prepared a budget for functioning of Commission and once the proposal is approved by Cabinet, Finance ministry would release the funds.

Remuneration of the Subordinate judiciary is done by State Governments unlike the Higher Judiciary whose salaries are a subject of Central Government and Parliament.

SC's order for constitution of third NJPC came on a petition by All India Judges Association, which was formed in 1985 with objective of improving service condition of the judges in lower judiciary.

First NJPC headed by Justice Shetty was constituted on March 21, 1996, and it gave its recommendations in November 1999.