Tribunal heads not paid salary: HC seeks Delhi govt response

The Delhi High Court today sought the city government's response on a plea alleging that retired district judges, heading the appellate tribunals of state transport and Delhi schools, have not been paid salary since appointment in May 2014.
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva issued notices to the Lt Governor, the Principal Secretaries of Education and Finance departments as well as the Secretary-cum-Commissioner of the Transport department and sought their replies by the next date of hearing.
The order came on the petition filed by the Delhi Schools Tribunal (DST) and State Transport Appellate Tribunal (STAT) contending that presiding officers of the two bodies have not been paid salary since appointment in May 2014.

The petition has contended that no guidelines have been framed for laying down the terms and conditions of appointment to such posts and has sought directions to the authorities to initiate and complete the process of the same.
The bench has 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.
The petition, filed through advocate Sanjeev Ralli, has given directions to the government to "initiate and complete process of framing statutory rules under Delhi Schools Education Act and Rules as well as Motor Vehicles Act and Rules for laying down terms and conditions applicable to retired District/Additional District Judges appointed as presiding officers of DST and STAT".

The petition has sought that the terms and conditions 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".