Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 2: Eight years after being held entitled, the Judicial Officers of Jammu and Kashmir would get benefits of Leave Travel and Home Travel Concessions as the State Government in consultation with the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has framed the necessary rules in this regard. Not only the Judicial Officers even their spouses, minor children and un-married daughters have been covered under these benefits.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that under Rule 12 of the Jammu and Kashmir Judicial Officers (Allowances, Amenities and Advances) Rules, 2007 the Judicial Officers were held entitled for the benefits of Leave Travel Concession and Home Travel Concession and in the Sub-Rule 4 it was specifically mentioned that the entitlement for journey would be according to the rules as may be framed by the Government in consultation with the High Court.
However, during past eight years the rules elaborating modalities were not framed because of varied reasons including non-concurrence from the Finance Department. The non-formulation of rules was justified on the ground that such a facility is not available to the employees of the State Government, sources said.
Now, as per the recommendation of the Full Court and in consultation with the High Court, the State Government has made the rules for grant of Leave Travel Concession/Home Travel Concession for Judicial Officers of the State. As per the SRO-334 issued by Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, these rules shall be deemed to have come into force from January 1, 2014.
As per the SRO, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, the Judicial Officer may claim Leave Travel Concession on completion of two years of continuous service and after successful completion of the period of probation. “Leave Travel Concession to any part of India can be availed by a Judicial Officer once in a block of four years, which shall be deemed to have started from 2014”, said the notification issued by the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Department.
The Home Travel Concession can be availed of any destination in the State of J&K only if the Judicial Officer has already put in not less than two years of continuous service on the date he/she applies for such concession. A Judicial Officer shall be entitled to Home Travel Concession once in a block of two years.
“The Judicial Officer may claim Leave Travel Concession or Home Travel Concession for the journey by himself/herself, spouse, minor children and un-married daughters”, the notification said, adding “the family shall be allowed to avail of the facility in one go and not in batches”. Where the spouse of the Judicial Officer is serving with the State Government or in judicial service, the facility shall be availed only once during a block of four years.
“No request by a Judicial Officer for cash payment in lieu of Leave Travel Concession/Home Travel Concession shall either be entertained or allowed”, said the notification. The entitlement for journeys and mode of travel shall be as applicable to journeys on tour in terms of TA rules contained in J&K CSRs.
Stating that High Court will be the sanctioning authority for purposes of Leave Travel Concession/Home Travel Concession, the notification said that the High Court shall allow the concession to the Judicial Officers on first applied first sanctioned basis but subject to the availability of budgetary provision.
“Any matter not covered under these rules or under the J&K Judicial Officers (Allowances, Amenities and Advance) Rules, 2007 shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions under Central Civil Services (LTC) Rules, 1988. However, the entitlement for journey shall be as per rules in the respective States as recommended by the Shetty Commission and in J&K they shall be governed by the travel rules of the State”, said the notification issued by Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Secretary, Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
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