Second National Judicial Pay Commission report: CJI surprised at 20 states defaulting on reply, issues notice to Attorney General

The Supreme Court today issued notice to Attorney General KK Venugopal in a case dealing with hike in pay, pension, and allowances to judicial officers across the country pursuant to the Second National Judicial Pay Commission..Notice was issued to the AG after amicus curiae and Senior Advocate PS Narasimha requested for the same, keeping in view the importance of the case..The Bench of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian expressed surprise when it was informed that 20 states did not file their responses to the 2020 report of the Commission..CJI Bobde directed the errant state governments to file their response to the recommendations of the Second National Judicial Pay Commission within five weeks..If the states default on filing replies within the said time, the Chief Secretaries will have to personally appear before the Court on the next date, the Bench warned..During the hearing, CJI Bobde remarked,."We are surprised that 20 states have not filed their responses. The matter is of seminal importance for the subordinate judiciary in the country and reply is must."CJI SA Bobde.The Commission submitted its final report recommending increase in the pay, pension and allowances of judicial officers on January 29 this year. The body was formed by the Apex Court pursuant to its orders in the All India Judges Association case. Its recommendations are applicable to judicial officers across the country..The Bench today also extended the tenure of the Commission headed by Justice PV Reddi, former judge of the Supreme Court, till January 31, 2021. It also directed that appropriate honorarium be paid to Justice Reddy and Senior Advocate R Basant, who is the other member of the Commission..Second National Judicial Pay Commission recommends windfall for judicial officers; District Judge to get max pay of Rs 2.24 lakh, New Pension Scheme to be discontinued.The Court has also directed that the proposals submitted by the Commission for sanction of payment to experts and consultants be processed..As per the revised pay structure evolved by the Commission, the Junior Civil Judge/First Class Magistrate whose starting pay is Rs.27,700, will now get Rs.77,840..The post of Senior Civil Judge will get a starting pay of Rs.1,11,000 and that of a District Judge Rs.1,44,840.The highest pay that a District Judge (STS) will get, is Rs.2,24,100.The Commission had further recommended that pension be at 50% of the last drawn pay. Family pension will be 30% of the last drawn pay..The existing ceiling of retirement gratuity and death gratuity was recommended to be increased by 25% when the Dearness Allowance reaches 50%..Some new allowances like the children's education allowance, home orderly allowance, and transport allowance in lieu of pool car facility, have been proposed.