Since few retired judges and senior judicial officials were interested in taking on post retirement jobs in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated on Saturday that administrative personnel had to be permitted to lead CAT benches.
Speaking at the 10th All India Conference of CAT, Singh claimed that they had more lucrative options available or that the job offer was not appealing."We can't discuss this too much because it will enrage the judges. The judge has the authority to chastise a common man if he becomes irate. However, no one can chastise a judge who becomes enraged," he stated.
In order to encourage more retired judges and judicial officers to accept the assignments, CJI BR Gavai stated that the government must enhance the service conditions of CAT's judicial and administrative members.
A chairperson and members from the judicial or administrative sectors make up CAT; the latter are often seasoned public managers.
The CJI stated that "one does not know how his statement would be portrayed in social media these days" prior to his comments regarding CAT administrative members' reluctance to rule against the government.
As he dismissed a PIL seeking the restoration of the beheaded idol of Lord Vishnu at Khajuraho, he was thinking back on his recent encounter with the wild communication medium's portrayal of his statements.
The CJI's comment seemed to be a response to Singh's assertion that, despite the late Arun Jaitley's opposition to appointing administrative members to the bench on the grounds that they would lack the necessary writing skills, he was persuaded by two or three senior bureaucrats that senior civil servants, having served for thirty to thirty five years, are knowledgeable about service laws and are capable of writing judgements.
"We brought an amendment allowing administrative members to head CAT benches," stated the minister.
Judges must use their authority responsibly and with humility, according to the CJI.
