GoM clears pay parity for members of quasi-judicial bodies

Decision of GoM headed by FM will soon be placed before the Cabinet for approval

A ministerial panel has decided on parity in remuneration of heads and members of quasi- judicial bodies such as SAT, Compat, TDSAT.

 

There are differences in the remuneration between the people joining these bodies from judicial background and administrative services.

 

Headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on uniform terms and conditions of tribunals has decided to bring parity in the salary structure among other things, sources said.

 

"The GoM also discussed about uniformity and tenure of heads and members of such bodies," said a source.

 

The decision of the GoM will soon be placed before the Cabinet for approval, sources added.

 

Apart from salaries, in quasi-judicial bodies, there are also differences in the facilities and perks. A Chairman, who is normally a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, gets official accommodations and other facilities.

 

However, members, who join tribunal after retiring from administrative service do not have such benefits.

 

According to D P Sehgal, former Member of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), there are anomalies between the salary of Tribunal chairman, and member of the regulator over which they have appellate jurisdiction.

 

He said: "In TDSAT, a Chairman gets salary of a retired Supreme Court Judge (Rs 90,000), and a member equivalent to a serving secretary of the government of India. However, the regulator has different salary structure.

 

"TRAI Chairman gets around Rs 3.5 lakhs and its member above Rs 3 lakhs, while TDSAT member gets a basic salary of Rs 85,000 only."

 

Sehgal was Member, Technical, of TDSAT between September 2004 to 2007.