NEW DELHI: The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All India Judicial Employees Confederation (AIJEC) on Sunday resolved to pursue legal measures before the Supreme Court for an early hearing of its petition seeking "Equal Pay for Equal Work" and uniform designations for judicial employees across the country.
The decision was taken during the NEC meeting held at the India International Centre Annexe under the chairmanship of National President Raju Bhai Brahmbhatt.
During the meeting, the NEC expressed serious concern over the long-pending issues faced by judicial employees across the country, including pay disparities, anomalies in pay revision, limited promotional opportunities, inadequate service conditions, and the lack of service benefits and facilities.
Representatives attending the meeting stated that judicial employees have still not received the full benefits of the Justice Shetty Commission's recommendations, despite 23 years having passed since the Commission was constituted under the directions of the Supreme Court of India.
They noted that the Supreme Court had also issued clear directions for the implementation of the Commission's recommendations.
According to a statement shared with this newspaper, the Committee observed that when the Justice Shetty Commission's recommendations first became due for implementation, the Fifth Central Pay Commission was in force.
"Today, the country is on the verge of implementing the Eighth Pay Commission, yet the fundamental issues affecting judicial employees remain unresolved. The Executive Committee described this situation as highly unfortunate and unjust to judicial employees," the Committee said.
The NEC also unanimously resolved to pursue effective legal measures before the Supreme Court to secure an early hearing and speedy disposal of Civil Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1040 of 2017, which seeks "Equal Pay for Equal Work" and uniform designations for judicial employees across the country.
The Committee also unanimously called for the establishment of an Independent National Judicial Employees Commission, modelled on the commissions constituted for judicial officers.
It said the proposed Commission should ensure uniform pay scales, uniform designations, uniform service rules, a uniform promotion policy, and uniform service benefits for judicial employees throughout the country.
The Executive Committee also expressed grave concern over rising levels of mental stress among judicial employees, excessive workloads, staff shortages, and difficult working conditions within the judicial establishment.
It observed that reports of judicial employees dying by suicide in different states were a matter of serious concern and served as a warning for the entire judicial system.
Rajeshwar Tiwari, Organising Secretary of the All India Judicial Employees Confederation (AIJEC), said in the statement, "To prevent such tragic incidents, the executive committee has demanded adequate recruitment of judicial employees, balanced distribution of workload, time bound promotions, removal of pay anomalies, access to mental health counselling and support services; and a safe, healthy, and dignified working environment."
The NEC also appealed to the Government of India, all state governments, and all High Courts to address the long-pending concerns of judicial employees without further delay.
It urged the authorities to recognise judicial employees as an indispensable pillar of the justice delivery system by ensuring fairness and justice in their service conditions.
The Committee expressed confidence that the Supreme Court, the Government of India, and all state governments would take a positive view of these legitimate demands and provide long awaited relief to millions of judicial employees across the country.
The meeting was attended by Patron B. Lakshma Reddy, Senior Vice President Naresh Chauhan, General Secretary H. A. Nagesh, Organising Secretary Rajeshwar Tiwari, Treasurer Manish Kapadia, as well as state presidents, general secretaries, and representatives from all states and Union Territories.
Representatives from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari actively participated in the meeting and shared their views and suggestions on a range of pressing issues affecting judicial employees.