Chauffeur, Courtesies At Airport Lounges- Centre Provides Additional Post-Retirement Benefits To Supreme Court Judges

Through the amendment, the Centre has aimed at providing additional post-retirement benefits to the retired Chief Justice and Judges of the Apex Court.

Under the newly added provisions, the retired Chief Justice and retired Judges of the Supreme Court will be given Security Cover in addition to the round-the-clock personal security guard.

The retired Chief Justice will also be given rent-free Type-VII accommodation in Delhi for six months.

The provisions are in addition to those mentioned in the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958.

The Centre has in exercise of the powers conferred by sub section (1) and clauses (c) and (f) of sub-section (2) of Section 24 of the Act framed rules to amend the Supreme Court Judges Rules, 1959.

The newly added provisions are as follows: -

• In the Supreme Court Judges Rules, 1959, in rule 3B, in sub rule (3), after the proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely –
  

"Provided further that the following staff shall be deployed with a retired Chief Justice and a retired Judges of the Supreme Court for a period of one year from the date of retirement from the establishment of Supreme Court or a High Court with full pay and allowances admissible to regular employees of the Supreme Court –

a) chauffeur (equivalent to the level of Chauffer in the Supreme Court).

b) secretarial assistant (equivalent to the level of the Branch Officer in the Supreme Court)."

• After Rule 3B of the said Rules, the following rule shall be inserted, namely –

"3 C Security Cover – A retired Chief Justice or retired Judges shall be entitled to a security cover round the clock at residence in addition to round the clock personal security guard for a period of one year from the date of retirement."

• In rule 4 of the said rules, before the explanation the following proviso shall be inserted, namely –

"Provided that a retired Chief Justice shall be entitled to rent free Type-VII accommodation at Delhi (other than the designated official residence) for a period of six month after the date of retirement."

• After rule 5 of the said Rules, the following rule shall be inserted, namely: -

"5 A. Protocol – A retired Chief Justice or retired Judge shall be entitled to protocol to extend courtesies at ceremonial lounges at airports."

In the earlier 1958 Act, there was no provision of such post-retirement benefits to retired Chief Justice and retired Judges of Supreme Court which have been added through the 2022 Amendment Act except for Pension, Family Pension, and Gratuity, and Provident Fund. In addition to these, the 1958 Act also provided medical facilities for retired Judges.