The Meghalaya High Court has directed the Meghalaya government to take steps with regard to the proposed pay scale of Court Officers of the High Court as recommended by the Registrar General of the High Court.
The order was passed by Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew on April 26 on the writ petition filed by Ronald Amos Kharsati, a Court Officer of the Meghalaya High Court.
“Accordingly, in view of the submissions of the counsel for the parties, it is directed that the State respondents shall take steps, with regard to the proposal made by the Registrar General of the High Court of Meghalaya, which is in line with the Rule 15 of the High Court Rules for necessary approval. Writ petition accordingly stands closed and disposed of,” Justice Thangkhiew said in his order.
During the hearing on April 26, the State government filed an affidavit in compliance of the High Court order passed on April 10.
In the affidavit, an office memorandum dated April 3, 2024, issued by the Secretary, Law Department, has been annexed wherein, in partial modification to an office memorandum dated August 21, 2018, the pay scale for the post of Court Officer has been upgraded to Level-16.
Philemon Nongbri, lawyer for Kharsati, however told the High Court that though it is well within the power of the State government to modify the earlier memorandum, and to upgrade the pay, the State government has however, not yet taken steps to comply with the suggestions which has been forwarded by the Registrar General of Meghalaya High Court with regard to the proposed pay scale of High Court employees in different posts.
He further submitted that this proposal has been made as per the High Court of Meghalaya (Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Officers and Staff) Rules, 2019, wherein at Rule-15, with regard to pay and allowances, the same was made determinable by the Chief Justice from time to time, with approval by the Governor.
Nongbri therefore requested the High Court that at this stage, the writ petition may be closed with a direction that the State government take steps, with regard to the proposal made by the Registrar General in his communication dated April 4, 2022.
