LS passes bill for three-fold hike in salary of SC,HC judges

It seeks to increase the salary of the Chief Justice of High Courts from Rs 30,000 to Rs 90,000 per month and that of the HC judges from Rs 26,000 to Rs 80,000 per month.

Replying to the debate on the bill,Law Minister H R Bhardwaj touched upon the issues of “supremacy” of Parliament over judiciary,allegations of corruption on judiciary and pending cases in various courts.

“The judiciary is accountable to the Constitution as judges take oath in the name of Constitution,” he said adding that Parliament can amend the constitution.

“Parliament is a supreme institution,with full responsibility I make this statement,” he added.

He said as per public perception,judiciary was working better than other institutions. There was no provision to deal with corruption in judiciary except for a 1960 Act,he said.

Bhardwaj said the founding fathers of the Constitution “did not envisage corruption in Parliament and judiciary” and the “vagaries” were of a “recent origin.”