Post retirement, a CJI NV Ramana will now get a domestic help, a chauffeur and a secretarial assistant for lifetime from the day he or she demits office, the notification issued on 26 August said.
According to the new notification, the benefits of the amended rules will be extended to all living former CJIs and retired Supreme Court judges. They were earlier amended on 23 August.
The new amendments ensure a retired chief justice of India will also be entitled to a security cover round-the-clock at their residence in addition to a 24X7 personal security guard for a period of five years from the date of retirement.
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While a retired Supreme Court judge will be entitled to 24X7 security cover at his or her residence in addition to a round-the-clock personal security guard for a period of three years from the date of retirement.
On the basis of threat perception, a retired CJI or a retired judge of the top court is already provided a "higher grade".
Now, the retired CJI will be entitled to a rent-free Type-VII accommodation in Delhi for a period of six months from the date of retirement. It was extended to retired CJIs earlier this month.
As per the new changes, a Supreme Court's retired judge will get a domestic help and a chauffeur for lifetime from the day of retirement. Adding more, both ex-CJI and retired judges will be entitled for ceremonial lounge facility at airports.
"A retired CJI or a retired Supreme Court judge will be entitled to a residential telephone "free of cost" and reimbursement of telephone call charges of residential telephone or mobile phone or broadband or mobile data or data card not exceeding ₹4,200 per month, plus taxes." the notification said.
"The post-retirement benefits under this rule shall be admissible to the retired Chief Justice (of India) or the retired Judge (of SC) if no such facilities are availed from any High Court or from any other government body where the retired Chief Justice or a retired Judge has taken up any assignment after retirement," the notification explained.
Elaborating more, the notification said that the expenditure on domestic help, chauffeur, secretarial assistant and telephone reimbursement will be borne largely by the Supreme Court or a high court establishment.
On 23 August, the government had amended the Supreme Court judges rules to provide chief justices of India rent-free accommodation for six months after demitting office and round-the-clock security for one year upon superannuation to CJIs and retired Supreme Court judges. It provided chauffeur facility and secretarial assistant for one year after retirement of CJI and Supreme Court judges.
Out of the total sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court is 34 judges, on an average, three retire annually.
A retired CJI and top court judges were given monthly monetary benefits to hire guards, domestic helps and chauffeurs until recently, which will be discontinued. While a retired CJI was entitled for ₹70,000 per month for the purpose, retired Supreme Court judges were provided ₹39,000 per month.
With PTI inputs.
