Judicial Officers' Pension | 'Centre's Unified Pension Scheme Will Solve Issues', AG Tells Supreme Court

In the All India Judges Association case, pertaining to pension-related issues of judicial officers, Attorney General R Venkataramani told the Supreme Court today that the Centre has recently notified a Unified Pension Scheme, which would take care of the concerns of all employees - including judicial officers.Taking into account the same, a bench of Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih posted the matter after 12 weeks, to see how the said scheme works out."We find it appropriate that the matter [be] adjourned for some time so as to experience how the Unified Pension Scheme works and take a call on the issues involved in the present petitions thereafter", dictated Justice Gavai.BackgroundIn 2017, the Second National Judicial Pay Commission was constituted by the Supreme Court for reviewing the pay scale and other conditions of Judicial Officers belonging to the subordinate judiciary all over the country. In 2022, the Court ordered for implementation of the enhanced pay scale as recommended by the SNJPC with effect from January 1, 2016. A bench of then CJI NV Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli also directed the Centre and the States to pay arrears to the officers in 3 instalments - 25% in 3 months, another 25% in next 3 months and balance by June 30, 2023.A year later, with regard to pension, a bench comprising former CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices V Ramasubramanian, PS Narasimha directed:"The revised rate of pensions as have been approved by this court shall be payable by 1st July 2023. For the payment of arrears of additional pension, gratuity, and other retirement benefits following the order of 27.07.2022 and 18.01.2023, it is directed that 25% will be paid by 31 August 2023, another 25% by 1 October 2023 and the remaining percent by 31 December 2023."In February, 2024, the Court flagged concerns about the plight of retired district judicial officers who were getting inadequate financial support through the existing pension policies. It emphasized that some officers were receiving pensions as low as Rs. 19,000-20,000 despite years of dedicated service. In this backdrop, AG Venkataramani was asked to provide assistance in coming up with a "just solution" for retired judicial officers.In last November, a bench comprising Justices BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra and KV Viswanathan came upon a plea filed by a retired High Court Judge-Justice Ajit Singh, who claimed to be receiving Rs.15,000/- per month as pension. In these proceedings, the Court expressed shock when it was informed that some retired High Court judges across the country were getting pension amounts as low as Rs.6000-7000/- per month.Case Title: All India Judges Association v. UoI And Ors. WP(C) No. 643/2015Click Here To Read/Download OrderRelated - Retired HC Judges Can't Be Discriminated Regarding Pension Based On Whether They're Elevated From Service Or Bar : Supreme Court

Judicial Officers' Pension | 'Centre's Unified Pension Scheme Will Solve Issues', AG Tells Supreme Court

Debby Jain

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