The chairperson of the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT) is eligible for a salary equivalent to the salary of a High Court judge, the Union government has stated before the Karnataka High Court.
A statement in this regard has been filed on a petition by K. Bhakthavatsala, chairperson of the KSAT, seeking salary on a par with the Chief Justice of a High Court.
Pointing out that Section 8(3) of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, as amended in 2007, stipulates that “the conditions of service of chairman and members shall be the same as applicable to judges of the High Court”, the Union government made it clear that the KSAT chairperson cannot be given higher salary other than prescribed by law.
Claiming that the chairperson is given additional responsibilities (like a Chief Justice) of administrative works that are not entrusted to the members of the KSAT, Mr. Bhakthavatsala, a retired judge of the Karnataka HC, has contended that there is no justification in denying him a salary equivalent to that of a Chief Justice.
