LS takes up discussion on HC,SC Judges Salaries and Conditions of Service Amendment Bill

The Lok Sabha took up discussion on the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill 2021 on Tuesday. Congress Leader in the House, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury participating in the discussion suggested the Government explore the possibility of a permanent pay matrix system for the judiciary. He also listed several issues like infrastructure development in lower courts, use of technology, filling up of vacancies, safety of judges and innovation and research for consideration by the government for better judicial dispensation.
Earlier, initiating the discussions, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, a comprehensive Bill including the increase in the retirement age of High Court and the Supreme Court Judges would have been beneficial. He said, nearly Four and half crore cases are pending in various courts in the country. He said, 406 posts of judges are lying vacant in various High Courts, causing an average of three years of pendency of cases. He also suggested a cooling period to the retired judges before taking any appointment.
BJP MP PP Chaudhary said, the Law minister, who is accountable to the Parliament, should be made part of the selection process of the judges. DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran stressed for uniform retirement age of High Court and Supreme Court judges. He also said, social diversity and more women judges would bring the change in perceptions of the common public on the system. RSP MP NK Prema Chandran suggested the Government bring in the National Judicial Appointment Commission Bill and stressed for earmarkation of accountability of the judiciary .
AITC MP Kalyan Banarjee accused the ruling party of discriminatory attitude towards the judiciary. He suggested relaxation in eligibility age 45 years to become a judge to provide opportunity to best practicing lawyers. Congress MP Suresh Kodikunnil said, in the year of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Government should come out with reservation to Scheduled Castes in higher judiciary posts. Shyam Singh Yadav of BSP said the judiciary must be freed from the government clutches.
BJD MP Pinaki Misra, BJP MP Rajendra Agarwal, Shiva Sena MP Arvind Sawant, L. Krishnadeva Rayalu of YSRCP, Hanuman Beniwal of RLP, Apurupa Poddar of AITC, ET Mohammad Basheer of IUML, Hasnain Masood of JKNC  also participated in the discussion on the Bill.