An official Committee has recommended substantial increases in pay, allowances and pensions of judicial officers, law officers of the Attorney General’s Department and the Legal Draftsman’s Department.The Cabinet of Ministers is expected to approve these recommendations following a submission by Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorale.
The only exception is the Judges of the superior courts – the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. The Committee has said that the emoluments of the Chief Justice and the Judges of the superior courts have to be determined by Parliament.The Committee was headed by Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe and included Justice Ministry Secretary Padmasiri Jayamanna and Director General of Establishments W.D. Somadasa. They were appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers. This was after Justice Minister Athukorale, among other matters, submitted cabinet memoranda on “Formulation of a new Salary Structure for the High Court Judges and the Judicial Officers in the Sri Lanka Judicial Service.” She also sought the creation of a new Service Category and formulation of a distinctive salary scale for the Law Officers attached to the Attorney General’s Department as well as those in the Legal Draftsman’s Department.
Minister Athukorale noted that “difficulties were being experienced in “recruiting and retaining required officers” due to “inadequacy of existing salaries and other privileges.”
Among the increases:
Salary and allowances of High Court Judges -from Rs 168,894 to Rs 304,200.
Salary and allowances of High Court Judges, presently the total salary and pensionable allowance which is at Rs 104,694 per month to be increased to Rs 180,000. Professional allowance will go up from Rs 15,000 to Rs 75,000. There will be an increase their allowances from Rs 168,894 to Rs 304,200. Besides this, they will also receive a housing allowance of Rs 50,000 (where there is no official residence) and a transport allowance of Rs 125,000 (where a vehicle and driver are not available). A driver’s allowance of Rs 25,000 has also been included.
District Judges/Judicial Officers -from Rs 151,424 to Rs 269,300.
District Judges/Judicial Officers (Special): The present salary and pensionable allowance which is Rs 71,941 to be increased to Rs 165,000. They will also receive a non-pensionable 50 percent of their salary from December 31, 2015 as personal allowance. Other than the salary, their total emoluments will increase from Rs 151,424 to Rs 269,300.
Magistrate/Judicial Officer -from Rs 49,079 to Rs 112,500.
Magistrate/Judicial Officer: Now drawing a salary and allowance of Rs 49,079. This will be increased to Rs 129,750. Total of the salary and pensionable allowance, which stands at Rs 49,079 will move up to Rs 112,500.
Attorney General- from Rs 201,850 to Rs 332,800.
Attorney General: Now drawing Rs 95,800 as salary and pensionable allowance. This will increase to Rs 240,000. With other allowances, the total which stands at Rs 201,850 will increase to Rs 332,800. Housing allowance which stands at Rs 12,000 is to be increased to 50,000(where official residence has not been provided). A Books allowance of Rs 30,000 has also been provided for.
Justice Minister Athukorale has also recommended to increase the “Allowance for Not Engaging in Private Practice” from the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 150,000.
Solicitor General – from Rs 177,125 to Rs 290,800.
Solicitor General: Present salary and allowances Rs 90,700.This will be increase to Rs 140,000. Total of salary and pensionable allowances will go up from Rs 99,700 to Rs 220,000. Other allowances (professional, judicial professional COL, telephone etc) will go up from Rs 177,125 to Rs 290,800.
Senior Additional Solicitor General: Total of salary and pensionable allowances to increase from Rs 73,779 to Rs 190,000. All other allowances to increase from Rs 151,328 to Rs 250,800.
Additional Solicitor General- from Rs 132,232 to Rs 205,800.
Additional Solicitor General: Total of salary and pensionable allowances to be increased from Rs 73,779 to Rs 170,000. Other allowances to go up from Rs 151,328 to Rs 230,800.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General – State Attorney: Total salary and pensionable allowances to go up from Rs 63,892 to Rs 150,000. Other allowances to be increased from Rs 132,232 to Rs 205,800.
Legal Draftsman: Total of the salary and pensionable allowance to go up from the present Rs 73,779 to Rs 190,000. Other allowances which stand at Rs 104,579 to be raised to Rs 222,800.
Additional Legal Draftsman: The present salary and pensionable allowance to be raised from Rs 73,779 to Rs 170,000. Other allowances to be increased from Rs 104,579 to Rs 202,800.
Courtesy of the Sunday Times.