Does judiciary need justice? The question appears ludicrous but it is very much a fact. It is more than six months that 38 judicial officers and their staff are without their salaries. 38 Additional and Special Mobile Magistrates were appointed with the main purpose of helping the judiciary in reducing the pendency of cases since long time. However, as things went, these magistrates and their staff have not been paid their salaries for last six months on the pretext that the Government has no funds. It was in the month of June last, that Daily Excelsior had raised the issue of non-payment of salary dues to these employees. Nothing happened and the Government did not move its finger.
But the High Court has taken the suo moto cognizance of the case and directed the State Government to release a sum of Rs 4.5 crore for payment of the salary to 38 Presiding Officers of Additional/Special Mobile Magistrates and the staff attached to these Courts on or before 03.08.2015. This is an interesting case showing how much insensitive the Government can be. We can call it nothing short of bureaucratic logjam and total insensitivity towards the difficulties of ordinary employees. If the High Court Bench had not given suo moto cognizance to the case, these judicial officers and their staff might have to wait for another six months or even a year to receive their salaries. The State Government cannot shirk its responsibility on the alleged plea of want of funds. It is well settled proposition of law declared by Supreme Court that it is the responsibility of the person running the administration to find out the source to extend the guaranteed rights of the citizens.
The action taken by the Divisional Bench in this case is highly appreciable. In a sense it is a censure of the State Government pointing out that under the constitutional provision, non availability of funds cannot become a reason for not paying salaries of a section of employees who are recruited for performing specific duties.
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