The Hindu : Judicial officers' pay packet becomes heavier

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 20, 2004

Other States

Other States - Madhya Pradesh

Judicial officers' pay packet becomes heavier

By Lalit Shastri

BHOPAL. FEB. 19.With the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet earlier this week granting approval to the Judicial Services Pay Revision Rules, 2003, that provide for dearness allowance at par with the Central Government and pay fixation in the revised pay-scales on the basis of the recommendations of the Shetty Commission, the State Judicial Service officers from the entry point level to the district judge level would now be receiving higher pay scales than the all-India service IAS officers, except those posted at the Chief Secretary level in the State.

It was on May 9 last year that the Supreme Court had directed States to implement "in letter and in spirit'' the recommendations of the Shetty Commission. A three-judge Bench comprising the Chief Justice had rejected the pleas of financial constraints by the States and the Centre as well as refused to dilute the recommendations of the Shetty Commission.

Subsequently, the previous State Congress Government had even considered approaching the Supreme Court for a review of its order taking the plea that the selection and recruitment of the judicial service officers was a State subject and singling out the State judicial service for revision of pay scales would be violative of Articles 234 and 235 of the Constitution. However, after much "in-house'' deliberations at the State Government level, the idea for seeking a revision of the Supreme Court directive was given up. At this stage it was being argued in Government circles that the hike would lead to disparity with other State Cadres where at the entry point there is a State-level entrance examination.

Meanwhile, the revision of pay scales of the Madhya Pradesh Judicial Services was held up as the Pay Revision Rules had to be amended. It was last Tuesday that the State Cabinet granted approval to the Rules for the pay fixation of the State judicial officers in the revised pay scales. An order dated May 3, 2003, to revise the pay scales of the State Judicial Service officers now comes into force with the Cabinet's approval to the Pay revision Rules, 2003.

The revised pay scale for the judicial officers at the junior entry level in Madhya Pradesh is Rs.9000-250-10750-300-13150-350-14550 whereas the junior scale at the entry level for the IAS officers is Rs. 8000-275-13500. The revised pay scale for the District Judge (Super-time scale) is Rs. 22850-500-24850. The pay scale for the IAS officers holding the post of Principal Secretary is Rs. 22400-525-24550. The Chief Secretary's pay scale remains fixed at Rs. 26000.

In a significant decision today, the State Government also decided to increase the dearness allowance for its employees and relief to pensioners by 9 per cent.

The State Government employees would now receive DA at the rate of 52 per cent from March 1, 2004. Of this, 49 per cent would be paid in cash while the remaining 3 per cent would go to their general provident fund (GPF) account. At present, the employees are receiving DA at the rate of 43 per cent. This increase in DA will lead to a financial burden of Rs. 307 crores on the exchequer.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Judicial officers' pay packet becomes heavier