Salary For Public Prosecutors In Delhi Revised: Centre Tells Delhi HC

The Centre last week informed the Delhi High Court that it has hiked salaries for public prosecutors in Delhi to bring them at par with their counterparts in other States.

The Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar then directed Additional Secretary Mr. P.K. Srivastava to file a compliance report on the next date of hearing. The matter has now been listed on 17 April.

The Court had, in September 2015, directed the Delhi Government to consider an increase in pay scales and implement the same without further delay.

The Delhi Prosecutors Welfare Association then approached the Court last year, alleging "deliberate and willful disobedience" on the part of the Centre and the Delhi government in complying with the Court’s 2015 order. The plea had further alleged that assurances to the Court by the Delhi government to provide internet facilities to the prosecutors have also not been met with.

"It is submitted that despite there being explicit directions by this court for implementing the cabinet decision dated September 1, 2015, the respondents (Centre and Delhi government) have till date not complied with the directions. “The respondent 1 (Centre) and respondent 2 (Delhi government) have demonstrated an attitude which violates the majesty of this court. The respondents deliberately and willfully have not complied with the directions of this court," the Petition was quoted as saying.

During the pendency of the contempt petition, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had claimed that no proposal for revising salaries had been sent by the Delhi government. The affidavit, which was signed by Undersecretary Mr. A.K. Sharma, also stated that the MHA had informed the Lieutenant Governor in January that it had not received the proposal.

Contrary to this, Delhi Government's standing counsel Mr. Rahul Mehra had informed the Court that a Cabinet decision in this regard had been taken by the AAP Government way back in August, 2015. Despite the confusions, the Centre has now assured the Court that the pay scales have been revised.