Rajya Sabha passes bill to amend salaries Supreme Court, High Court judges

The Union Government on Monday introduced a bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the High Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954 and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958. The amendment is aimed at bringing clarity regarding the date eligibility for an additional quantum of pension to retired judges.

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed a bill amending the High Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954 and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958. The amendment is aimed at bringing clarity regarding the date eligibility for an additional quantum of pension to retired judges.

The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2021 was placed in the Rajya Sabha by Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju for consideration. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 8.

"This is a very limited amendment, which we have brought in the said Acts and for a limited purpose. It is not going to affect in any manner the judges' salaries. It is only related to a quantum jump in the pension of retired judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts," Rijiju while introducing the bill..

Although Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh asked for a debate on the Bill, the leader of the opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge said he should first take a call on the 12 suspended MPs.

However, the Deputy Chairman said that the House has already urged all the political parties to resolve the issue amicably and asked Congress MP Amee Yajnik to start the debate on the bill.

"Is this government sensitive in filling the vacancies? We need so many judges at the high courts," said Yajnik.

"Those who attain the age of 62 and 65 are well-experienced judges who will be well suited to tackle the pendency. Their invaluable experience gained over years at the bench cannot be substituted by fresh faces. With the improvement of technology and medicines, life expectancy has increased and people are more productive now," said DMK MP P. Wilson.