Imphal, August 22: The announcement of a pay revision of the judicial officers of the Manipur judicial service, yesterday, has evoked not jubilation but protest from the concerned quarters.

The judicial officers of the state�s subordinate courts, after a meeting today at the Cheirap Court, decided to go on a two hour cease work strike from 10 am to 12 noon Thursday to protest the �unfair� pay revision.

The meeting also resolved unanimously that the new pay revision is unacceptable as it is not compatible or commensurate with the service and status the judicial officers hold.

The meeting also resolved to bring to the notice of the government that the pay scale is in violation of the Constitution as it is against the spirit and recommendation of the Supreme Court as well as that of the First National Judicial Pay Commission.

The officers also noted that their new pay scale put them below the state executive officers, who under the previous scale were at par with the judicial officers.

This they said amounted to at down gradation as well as an insult to the judicial service resulting in the demoralization of the service as well ass its officers.

The meeting also formed a committee to prepare a memorandum to be placed before the Governor of Manipur on or before August 25.They pointed out that he financial burden on the state would have been less if is had strictly followed the recommendations of the Sethi Commission, as this would have entailed the Central government to meet 50 percent of the salary bills of the state judicial officers.

On the earlier scale, judicial officer Grade-I was placed at the level of the secretary law of the state in terms of pay scale.

The new pay scale has downgraded them to the level of a deputy secretary, the officers complained.

As per the officer memorandum dated March 10, 1999, of the state government, all Grade A civil post were in the pay scale of Rs 13,500 and above.

At that time judicial officer Grade- III and above, fell into this category.

The new pay scale has however classified the post of judicial officer Grade-III to the level of the civil post of Grade-B.

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