Pension for Fast Track Court judges; SC issues notice

The Supreme Court today sought responses from Tamil Nadu government and the Registrar of the Madras High Court on a plea seeking pensionary benefits for former Fast Track Court (FTC) judges, appointed on ad-hoc basis like other retired judicial officers.
"Issue notice," a bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy said while admitting for hearing the appeal filed by DMK leader K Anbazhagan on the issue.
The appeal has been filed against the February 14 order of the Madras High Court which held that the FTC judges were appointed on contractual basis and cannot claim retiral benefits like other additional district and district judges who were in regular appointment.

Assailing the order, the plea said though FTC judges were appointed on ad-hoc basis, they cannot be said to be contractual employees.
Moreover, the most of these judges have served over 10 years as additional district and sessions judges.