High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2015

Lok Sabha has passed The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2015 The Bill amends the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958 and the High Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954. Key features of Bill The Bill aims at removing anomalies in pensionary benefits of High Court judges elevated from the bar. Seeks to bring uniformity and do away with the indiscrimination of salaries and pensions for judges elevated from the Bar Pension payable to HC judges: For the purpose of providing pension, a period of 10 years will be added from April 2004 to the service of a Judge. This provision would be applicable to a HC judge who has been an advocate of a HC for at least 10 years. Casual leave for SC and HC judges: The casual leave for SC and HC judges will be computed in a manner to be prescribed. The previous 1954 and 1958 Acts provided leave to judges on full allowances and half allowances respectively. Leave allowances of HC judges: Henceforth Judges would have the option of availing leave on partly full and partly half allowances or full allowances, half allowances specified in the 1954 and 1958 Acts. Joining time allowance for HC judges: Deletion of provision in 1954 Act that provides for an allowance at the rate of Rs.1110 per month instead of salary to HC judges in relation to joining time on his return from leave out of India.