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Sunday, July 5, 1998

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Bill to triple judges’
salaries passed
NEW DELHI, July 4 — The Lok Sabha today approved a Bill enhancing the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and high court by over three times.
The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill which replaces an ordinance promulgated this April enhances the salary of the Chief Justice of India to Rs 33,000 per month from Rs 10,000 and that of Supreme Court judges to Rs 30,000 per month from Rs 9,000.

Heptullah likely to be
RS deputy chief
NEW DELHI, July 4 — Dr (Mrs) Najma Heptullah, who won her fourth term in Rajya Sabha last month, is once again likely to become the Deputy Chairperson of the House.Dr Heptullah, who will be the Congress candidate for the post when elections for the post is announced, enjoys confidence of a majority of the 245-members of the House in which the ruling alliance does have the same status.

High security jail for NSA detainees
CHENNAI, July 4 (PTI) — The Tamil Nadu Government is contemplating utilising the high security jail at Poonamallee, where the 26 undertrials in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were lodged prior to their conviction in January, for accommodating detainees under the National Security Act (NSA) and imprisoned members of fundamentalist outfits.

Gulzarilal Nanda remembered
NEW DELHI, July 4 (PTI) — Glowing tributes were paid to former Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda here today for his services to the nation, particularly his endless efforts to stem corruption in the society.

IAS officer faces cruelty charge
Bhopal, July 4 (UNI) — The police has registered a case against an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1984 batch, Mr M.K. Singh, following a complaint by his wife that she was being subjected to cruelty.

Bill to triple judges’ salaries passed
Tribune News Service and agencies
NEW DELHI, July 4 — The Lok Sabha today approved a Bill enhancing the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and high court by over three times.
The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill which replaces an ordinance promulgated this April enhances the salary of the Chief Justice of India to Rs 33,000 per month from Rs 10,000 and that of Supreme Court judges to Rs 30,000 per month from Rs 9,000.
The salary of a chief justice of a high court has been hiked to Rs 30,000 per month from Rs 9,000 while that of judges has been increased from Rs 8,000 to Rs 26,000 per month.Replying to a debate on the Bill, the Power Minister, Mr P.R. Kumaramangalam said the issue of setting up more high court and Supreme Court Benches had to be decided by the Chief Justice of the apex court and chief justices of high courts.

He said as part of streamlining court functioning, modernisation process has been initiated in the Supreme Court and high courts and computerisation works had already begun in the subordinate courts.
Members cutting across party lines supported the Bill saying that judiciary should be made independent and judges given all facilities. They also demanded setting up of more Benches of the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the parliamentary standing committee on Home affairs recommended to the government to consider the further revision of the salary and allowances of the judges of the Supreme Court and high courts.
The report of the committee, which recommended the revision of salaries, was laid on the table of the Lok Sabha today by the BJP MP from Chandigarh, Mr Satya Pal Jain.
Mr Jain told TNS that the committeee was critical about the government’s decision in promulgating an ordinance.
Mr Jain said the All India Judges Association had submitted a representation regarding the revision of salaries of judges. The association demanded that the salary of the judges should not be less than the salary of the Cabinet Secretary as was the position in 1950. There was also a demand for revision of service condition of the lower judiciary.

Participating in the discussion on the Bill, Prof P.J. Kurien (Cong) said there should be more Benches of the Supreme Court with one each in South, West and North-East so that people are able to get speedy justice.
More Benches of the high court were also needed, he said adding that people living below the poverty line were unable to get justice.
Welcoming the Bill, Suresh Kurup (CPM) wanted a judicial commission to be set up for appointment of judges since a foolproof mechanism was needed for this. Such a set up would attract talent to the judicial profession, he said.
Mr Ajit Panja (Trinamool Congress) highlighted the plight of judges of lower courts saying that they had no proper facilities and there was need to immediately increase their salaries too.
Mr Panja said the salaries of Supreme Court judges should be raised to Rs 50,000 per month while those of high court should be Rs 40,000 per month.
Mr G.L. Bhargava, BJP, stressed that a specific time frame should be fixed for disposal of cases.

Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde (Cong) urged the government to ensure that there were more judges from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in the Supreme Court.
The RJD chief, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav said there was need for further enhancing salaries and allowances of Supreme Court and high court judges. He also forcefully pleaded for hiking salaries and perks of MPs.
A former Speaker, Mr Shivraj Patil stressed that vacancies of Suppeme Court and high court judges should be filled expeditiously. He also stressed on modernisation of the judiciary.
Mr S. Mallikarjunia (BJP) said a Supreme Court Bench should be opened in one of the southern cities so that people do not have to travel all the way to Delhi.
Supporting the Bill, Shettiyr Balu (DMK) said judges should be given a time frame to pass judgements on cases.Mr Saifuddin Soz (NC) expressed concern over “corruption” in judiciary saying that there was no system to punish erring judges, “when a judge goes wrong what is the punishment?” he asked.
Mr Ajay Chakravarty (CPI) said conditions were pathetic in the lower courts.Mr Prabhunath Singh (Samata Party) said there were several defects in the Indian Penal Code.
Replying to points raised by members, Mr Kumaramangalam said the suggestion by several MPs to have a Bench of the Supreme Court in any of the southern states had not been agreed to by the full Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India. x
Reacting to this, Mr Panja urged the minister to send the sentiments of the House on the matter to the apex court. Mr Kumaramangalam said he would forward the request to the Law Minister.
Mr Kumaramangalam said a committee of judges appointed by the conference of judges was preparing a code of conduct for the judiciary and the matter would be discussed at the annual conference of judges.
On the concern expressed by members regarding huge backlog of pending cases, the minister said while work in the Supreme Court and high courts had been computerised, the process was being undertaken by state governments for the subordinate judiciary on a fifty-fifty expenditure sharing basis with the Centre. So far, Rs 230 crore had been allocated for the purpose.

Heptullah likely to be RS deputy chief
Tribune News Service
NEW DELHI, July 4 — Dr (Mrs) Najma Heptullah, who won her fourth term in Rajya Sabha last month, is once again likely to become the Deputy Chairperson of the House.
Dr Heptullah, who will be the Congress candidate for the post when elections for the post is announced, enjoys confidence of a majority of the 245-members of the House in which the ruling alliance does have the same status.
Having been elected Deputy Chairperson for the first time in January 1985, she has been holding it regularly since 1988.
As per party sources, the Congress candidate needs backing of about 125 MPs and as per calculations their candidate will have more then the required strength.

After having sounded the like-minded parties, some party MPs are in touch with neutrals like the DMK and have got in touch with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi.
In a related development, Dr Heptulla, yesterday met the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, in this connection.
However, a few Congress members have rejected the suggestion on the grounds that the BJP does not stand a chance in the Rajya Sabha in the event of a contest and hence there was no need to arrive at any compromise for the post of Deputy Speaker.
According to a senior MP, the Speaker could well declare the schedule of election since it was not proper to keep the post vacant for a long period.
Meanwhile, it is understood that a problem over allotment of 20 front-row seats in the Lok Sabha has surfaced.
As per the current strength of parties, the BJP can get 10 front-row seats and the prinicipal opposition, the Congress five seats. The rest will have to be apportioned accordingly. Priority will also have to be given to three former Prime Ministers, Mr Chandra Shekhar, Mr H D Deve Gowda and Mr I K Gujral, who are members of the 12th Lok Sabha.

High security jail for NSA detainees
CHENNAI, July 4 (PTI) — The Tamil Nadu Government is contemplating utilising the high security jail at Poonamallee, where the 26 undertrials in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were lodged prior to their conviction in January, for accommodating detainees under the National Security Act (NSA) and imprisoned members of fundamentalist outfits.
State Law Minister Aladi Aruna told reporters here yesterday that discussions were on in this regard, but the proposal could not be immediately acted upon because an additional company of the Tamil Nadu Special Police, required for strengthening security in the Poonamallee jail, was not available immediately.
Mr Aladi Aruna, however, made it clear that the traffic on the Chennai-Bangalore highway, where the jail was located, would not be diverted as had been done during the past six years when th accused in the Rajiv Gandhi case were lodged there.

More than 130 suspected members of Al Umma, an Islanic fundamentalist outfit banned in the wake of the February 14 serial blasts at Coimbatore, are at present detained under the NSA and lodged in various jails in the state.
He said another jail complex at Puzhal, a northern suburb of Chennai, where Sri Lankan Tamil refugees had been lodged till about two months ago, was now back in the hands of the prison department for accommodating convicts.
The 250 refugees there had been vacated two months ago and provided housing facilities in Thiruvallur district.In the first phase, 250 convicts from the Chennai central prison would be shifted to the Puzhal jail, and later convicts from other overcrowded jails would be moved there.
The jail, with a capacity of 1150 prisoners, was being renovated at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore and would be ready within six months, he said.
The Law Minister said electric fencing was being put up in the four central prisons at Salem, Vellore, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli at a total cost of Rs 1 crore.
The work would be completed in a month’s time, he added. Along with the electric fencing, an alarm system would also be installed in these prisons.

Gulzarilal Nanda remembered
NEW DELHI, July 4 (PTI) — Glowing tributes were paid to former Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda here today for his services to the nation, particularly his endless efforts to stem corruption in the society.
“Nanda’s life has been one of simplicity, sincerity and integrity .... He was the true child of Indian revolution which was a moral revolution essentially,” President K.R. Narayanan said at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark Nanda’s birth centenary celebrations.
The function was organised by the Gulzarilal Nanda Foundation which also honoured several eminent personalities, including former Supreme Court Chief Justice, J.S. Verma, former Finance Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Justice Rajendra Sachar and Shabana Azmi for their outstanding contributions.
Recalling his selfless service to the people, the President said Nanda did it in various stages as a freedom fighter, labour leader, as a minister and as a Prime Minister. “Nanda’s secret to his success was selfless service”, he added.
Stating that Nanda was one of the first to chalk out plans for stemming the tide of corruption in Indian public life, Mr Narayanan said his ideals were relevant in the present context.
President Narayanan also recalled Nanda’s contribution in setting up of the Planning Commission in the country.

Former Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Justice Verma said Nanda was an epitome of virtuosity and his name was synonymous with morality in public life.
“Gulzarilal Nanda was the epitome of moral and ethical values which have been the core value of Indian polity”, he said.
Justice Verma observed Nanda and men of that age provided “role models” for the youth. The real tribute to him is to follow the ideals for which he lived till the end.
Former union minister Rajesh Pilot expressed concern over moral degeneration in the society and asked youth to emulate Nanda’s ideals.
Noted jurist and former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajendra Sachar also spoke.In his opening remarks, foundation’s Chairman D.P. Upadhyay, said the foundation celebrated 1997-98 (July 4, 1997 to July 4, 1998) as “Naitik varsh” with various programmes with the object to restore the moral and spiritual values in the society.

IAS officer faces cruelty charge
Bhopal, July 4 (UNI) — The police has registered a case against an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1984 batch, Mr M.K. Singh, following a complaint by his wife that she was being subjected to cruelty.
Police sources said a case under Section 498 A of the Indian Penal Code had been registered against Mr M.K. Singh, who was at present posted as Additional Commissioner in the Tribal Welfare Department. Further investigation was in progress.
Additional Registrar (Cooperatives) Salina Singh, an IAS officer of the 1986 batch, had lodged a complaint with the police against her husband alleging that he used to assault her ever since their marriage about 10 years ago.
However, the police initially referred the matter to the newly introduced helpline services. When the efforts failed, the matter was transferred to the women police station, which registered a case against Mr M.K. Singh.