Delhi govt faces HC ire for not paying tribunal head's salary

Delhi High Court today came down heavily on the city government for not paying the salary of a presiding officer of the appellate tribunals of state transport and Delhi schools, who is a retired Additional District Judge (ADJ).
"This situation cannot be countenanced. We are proposing that if the presiding officer (PO) does not get his salary with full arrears before the next date of hearing, all people dealing with his file will have to forego their salaries till his salary is paid," a bench of justices B D Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva said.
The court termed as "ridiculous" the treatment meted out to retired ADJ, V K Maheshwari, who has not been paid since May 1, 2014, the date from when he has been heading the Delhi Schools Tribunal (DST) and State Transport Appellate Tribunal (STAT).

"This is ridiculous, how you treat a retired ADJ. You expect him to work on charity? How do you expect him to work if you don't pay him?" the court said.
It also asked: "Who is the officer concerned who is to sanction his salary?"
The court listed the matter for further hearing on January 28 by when the government has to clear the dues.

The bench was hearing a petition, by advocate Sanjeev Ralli, alleging that the judge has not been paid any salary since his appointment in May last year.
The petition has contended that no guidelines have been framed for laying down the terms and conditions of appointment to such posts and sought directions to the authorities to initiate and complete the process of the same.

The bench on January 7 had directed the government to ascertain the status with respect to framing of the guidelines as well as terms and conditions of appointment to these tribunals and inform it.
However, it noted that no status report was filed by the city government.
The petition sought that the terms and conditions of appointment to tribunals be laid down on a pattern similar to those under the Consumer Protection Rules regarding pay and allowances payable to whole time Presidents of District Consumer Forums or "any other fair pattern".
Maheshwari, a retired officer of Delhi Higher Judicial Service, was appointed as presiding officer of DST for three years and later also given the additional charge of STAT.

However, till date the terms and conditions for the post nor the guidelines for the same under the statute have been framed, the petition has said.