Judges’ salary revision from next budget

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

COLOMBO: A salary revision for the Judges would be effected at the next budget, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga informed the Supreme Court, yesterday.

Secretary to the President Weeratunga who was present before Court at the hearing of the rights application filed by Judges, however submitted that several allowances paid to the judges such as personal allowance, fuel allowance, and allowances for the drivers, would be increased immediately.

He also informed the Court that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was aware that there is salary anomalies of the judges.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC with Justice Nimal Gamini Amaratunga and Justice K. Sripavan.

The Court noted that the petitioners would be notified about the salary revisions.

Petitioners High Court Judges Association, its President D.S.C. Lekamwasam, Secretary Thilak Thabrew, 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 violations 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 that 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.

Senior State Counsel Indika Demuni de Silva appeared for the respondents.

The case will be mentioned on June 30.