Secretarial assistant, domestic help, chauffeur for lifetime for CJI post retirement

New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) In a fresh notification, the government has announced that post-retirement, the Chief Justice of India will get a domestic help, a chauffeur, and a secretarial assistant for lifetime after he or she demits the office.

The following staff shall be deployed with a retired Chief Justice during his lifetime from the establishment of the Supreme Court or a High Court with full pay and allowances admissible to regular employees of the Supreme Court -- domestic help, chauffeur, and secretarial assistant.

"A retired Chief Justice shall be entitled to a security cover round the clock at residence in addition to round the clock personal security guard for a period of 5 years from the date of retirement. A retired judge shall be entitled to a security cover round the clock at residence in addition to round the clock personal security guard for a period of 3 years from the date of retirement," said the notification, which was issued on Friday by the Department of Justice in the Union Law Ministry.

The notification said the Supreme Court Judges Rules have been amended again to extend more post-retirement benefits to retired CJIs and apex court judges. Earlier, the rules were amended on August 23.

The notification said: "If a retired Chief Justice or a retired judge is already provided with a higher-grade security on the basis of threat perception the higher-grade security already provided shall continue. A retired Chief Justice shall be entitled to a rent-free type VII accommodation at Delhi (other than designated official residence) for a period of 6 months from the date of retirement."

Retired CJI and apex court judges will get ceremonial lounge facilities at airports, announced earlier this month, would continue.

"A retired Chief Justice or a retired judge shall be entitled to residential telephone free of cost and reimbursement of telephone call charges of residential telephone or mobile phone or broadband or mobile data or data card not exceeding Rs 4,200 per month plus taxes," added the notification.

It further added: "The post-retirement benefits under this rule shall be admissible to the retired Chief Justice or the retired judge if no such facilities are availed from any High Court or from any other government body where the retired Chief Justice or a retired Judge has taken up any assignment after retirement."

On August 23, the Centre had amended the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958 for providing additional post-retirement benefits to retired chief justices and Supreme Court judges.