[IHRO] In India, the privileged ones are unconcerned abt majority, subsisting @Rs 20 daily
CJI defends decision to seek DA for wife
16 January 2010
New Delhi, 16 JAN: Chief Justice of India Mr KG Balakrishnan (in photo) today defended his decision to seek dearness allowance for wife when the couple recently went on a foreign tour saying it was being provided for the last several years.
“Continously to my knowledge since several years, the dearness allowance was paid because somebody who goes abroad should eat something. That is why....otherwise, in a foreign country one cannot survive without eating. Sometime, it is (DA) permissible under our rules,” he told CNN-IBN.
He was asked about the recent controversy relating to the Supreme Court Secretary General's writing a letter to the government seeking DA benefits for his wife.
The Supreme Court registry had yesterday come out with a statement defending the Chief Justice, a day after the government, in response to an RTI application, said there was provision only for air-ticket to the spouse of CJI and other judges of the Supreme Court and no other allowance has been sanctioned by the Department of Justice.
The Chief Justice denied inference that he was personally opposed to the disclosure of assets by judges and cautioned that the information being sought under the RTI could at times seriously affect the image of the judiciary. “At no point of time I was against disclosure of assets. Sometimes, some people will say that gives some unfavourable report against Chief Justice. Sometimes good report about him.
Referring to the row relating to Justice Mr PD Dinakaran of Karnataka High Court, the CJI was of the view that the “vilification” campaign was started against him only after his name was recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court. Pti