Judges to receive higher pay

Wasantha Ramanayake

A considerable salary increase had been proposed to the judges, the Attorney General informed the Supreme Court when the rights application filed by the High Court, District Court Judges, Magistrates and Primary Court Judges were taken up for hearing, yesterday.

Senior State Counsel (SSC) N. Pulle for the Salary and Carder Commission informed Court that it has been proposed to increase judges' salaries by around one third of their current salaries, and which would be pensionable.

The SSC submitted that representatives of the petitioners and the members of the salaries and the Carder Commission had discussions on December 17, 2007 and the parties had agreed to formulate a separate salary structure for the judiciary when the salaries for the public sector is revised in the future.

The SSC added that an increase in the certain allowances had been already recommended. There would be a considerable increase in the allowances such as personal allowance, fuel allowance, and the allowances for the drivers, he submitted.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC with Justice Ms. Shirani Thilakawardane and Justice Saleem Marsoof PC. President's Counsel D.S. Wijesinghe for the petitioners submitted that his clients were agreeable to the proposed salary increase and the increase in the allowances.

Petitioners the High Court Judges Association, its President D.S.C. Lecamwasam, Secretary Thilak Thabrew, the Judicial Services Association, its President Sisira Rathnayake and Secretary N.B. Karunarathna complained to the Court that the Salaries and Cadre Commission had failed to grant an increased salary and separate salary structure for judges and the failure to treat the judiciary from the Public Service are continuing in violation of the rights of the members of the petitioners.

The petitioners cited Co-Chairmen and members of the Salaries and Cadre Commission, the Secretary to the Treasury, the Secretary to the Judicial Services Commission, Secretary to the Cabinet of Ministers, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General as respondents.

The petitioners sought to recommend to the Cabinet of Ministers to increase salaries of the members of the petitioners' Associations and an appropriate salary structure for judges with effect from January 1, 2007 and to recommend the judiciary be separate from the public service in the matter of salaries and other perquisites.

D.S. Wijesinghe PC with Dr. Jayampathi Wickremarathne PC with Kaushalya Molligoda and Pubudini Wickremaratne appeared for the petitioners. SSC N. Pulle appeared for the respondents.

The case will be mentioned on May 21.