The approval to circulate an ordinance to raise the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to give immediate effect to the hike proposed in the Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 22, 2008 was made in the Union Cabinet meeting.

Since the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2008, could not be passed in the Parliament session that ended on December 23, 2008.

The Chief Justice of India revised salary would be Rs 1 Lakh per month. As well as Dearness Allowance and Rs 90, 000 per month, plus DA, for judges of the apex court and Chief Justices of High Courts. Judges of High Courts would draw a monthly salary of Rs 80,000, plus DA. Pension of judges would also be equally revised.

The statement of objects and reasons in the Amendment Bill had stated, “The need to increase the salaries, allowances and pension of the judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts has been necessitated because of the increase in the salaries, allowances and pensions of Central Government employees on acceptance of the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission by the government.”

From January 1, 2006 the revision will be effective. 40% of the arrears of salary will be given in the current financial year and the balance in the next financial year.

The government has taken a decision to double the existing limit of both sumptuary allowance and furnishing allowance for all the Supreme Court and High Court judges. It will effect from September 1, 2008.