Are Judicial Officers Supposed To Run Around For Their Entitlements? Gauhati High Court On Anomalous Pay Slips Issued To District Judges

The Gauhati High Court on Tuesday pulled up the Office of the Accountant General of Assam for delay in resolving the issues faced by the judicial officers due to the errors in manual pay-slips.

The division bench of the Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Devashis Baruah was hearing a petition filed by the Assam Judicial Service Association & Others.

Senior Advocate UK Nair appearing for the petitioners had submitted that large number of Judicial Officers have received manual pay slips which are fraught with anomalies and discrepancies and now, the process of rectification is proceeding at a snail pace.

In view of the above-mentioned facts, the Court on June 21, had directed that a competent Officer from the Office of the Accountant General and the Legal Remembrancer-cum- Secretary to the Government of Assam shall remain present before the Court on June 27 (Tuesday).

On Tuesday, the Chief Justice asked the concerned officer why such errors were rampant.

“Are the judicial officers are supposed to run around? Why cannot you improve your system? These are their entitlements arising from service. Why they are supposed to run around for this? Why cannot you make the process seamless? We are tackling these issues since February…Every time, some or other assurance is given, which does not materialise."

The concerned officer informed the Court that after issuing the revised pay scales, 85 percent cases have been resolved. Unconvinced, the Bench remarked,

"If the judicial officers have to come to the Court for their pay issues that will be the ultimate ignominy for them…Why do you need the order of the High Court in this regard? This is your duty. Every date we are getting a report that there are errors. How long will the status continue?...15 percent are pending, it is very easy to say. Do you want us to call the Accountant General in Court on every date of hearing? What can be more callous on your part?”

The Court was then informed that Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) will be made operational within 6 months so as to do away the issues faced by the judicial officers and other State Government employees due to the manual pay-slips.

The bench directed that till the IFMS is put in place, the Accountant General shall notify a dedicated helpline number and appoint a Nodal Officer to deal with the issues being faced by the Judicial Officers.

“Needless to say that the helpline number and the Nodal Officer shall be available during office hours so as to address the issues and complaints of the Judicial Officers in relation to pay-slips and associated issues,” the Court ordered.

It further directed that the number of Nodal Officer shall be provided in the High Court’s Registry within 3 working days.

The matter is listed again on August 8.

Case Title: Assam Judicial Service Association & 8 Ors. v. The Principal Accountant General (A and E) Assam

Coram: The Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Devashis Baruah

Click Here to Read/Download Order