Supreme Court, HC judges may soon get a pay hike

Supreme Court and high court judges may soon get a fatter pay packet as the government is likely to bring a bill in this regard in the next session of Parliament.

Chief Justice of India TS Thakur had recently written to the government seeking a hike in salaries of Supreme Court and high court judges.

Sources in the government said the issue is under active consideration and a bill to amend The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Act may come up in the Budget session of Parliament which may begin in the first week of February next.

While the sources refused to share details of the quantum of hike sought by the CJI, they said to effect the pay hike, the Act has to amended.

As the Winter session of Parliament is coming to an end on Friday, they said the bill would now come up in the Budget session.

A Supreme Court judge at present gets Rs 1.5 lakh a month in hand after all deductions from salary and allowances. The CJI gets a higher amount than this, while the judges of the high court get a lesser amount. This amount does not include the rent-free residences provided to the judges while they are in service.

After the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, the matter was already under the consideration of the government.