Two-fold jump in salaries of three election commissioners

After Supreme Court and high court judges, the three election commissioners have received a nearly two-fold jump in their salary.

The three commissioners, including the chief election commissioner, are entitled to a salary which is "equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court", according to the provisions of a law governing their conditions of service.

After the government notified the law hiking the salary of Supreme Court and high court judges on January 25, the Election Commission adopted the same, officials in the poll panel said.

Now, the three commissioners, like the judges of the Supreme Court and chief justices of the high courts, will draw a monthly salary of Rs 2.50 lakh from the current Rs 90,000.

The salary hike will come into effect retrospectively from January 1, 2016, and will also benefit former chief election commissioners and election commissioners.

According to section 3 of the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business)] Act, 1991, "it shall be paid to the Chief Election Commissioner (and other election commissioners) a salary which is equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court."

The salary of Supreme Court and high court judges is governed by the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act.