Social protection: LHC sets up welfare fund for judicial officers

A six-member committee, headed by the LHC registrar, will operate the fund

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) has established a Judicial Officers’ Welfare Fund.

A six-member Fund Management Committee will look after its affairs, according to a notification issued by the LHC. The LHC registrar will be its chairman, senior district and sessions judges will be its members and a senior civil judge will be its secretary. In case a judicial officer dies, his family will be given Rs2.5 million from the fund. A judicial officer will receive Rs1 million for the marriage of his daughters (only one time). The fund will also cover medical treatment for judicial officers. The Fund Management Committee would approve the aid after evaluating seriousness of a medical case.

According to the notification, Rs2,500, Rs2,000, Rs1,500 and Rs1,000 will be deducted from the salaries of district and session judges, additional district and sessions judges, senior civil judges and civil judges respectively to contribute to the Fund.



The financial allocation proposed for each head can be reviewed as and when required by the committee. The committee might also introduce further parameters to regulate the Fund’s affairs.

A central account in the name of chairman (registrar) will be opened in a scheduled bank in Lahore. All beneficiaries will be responsible to effect monthly deduction.

Only contributing officers will benefit from the Fund. In the event of default for three consecutive months, the membership of the officer concerned will be terminated and his contribution to the fund till then will be refunded.

No financial aid will be disbursed initially for a period of six months, reads the notification.

In case of death of a judicial officer, the grant will be disbursed to the family by the district and sessions judge concerned the same day. In this regard, a prompt intimation must be made to the chairman for on-line transfer of aid.

In the event of a fatal disease like heart attack, cancer and neuro-disorder or an accident, the grant will be extended within the shortest possible time.

The judicial officers seeking welfare grants under the heads of marriage and retirement will submit applications to the Fund secretary (addressed to the chairman) along with supporting documents (copies of nikah nama, national identity card numbers and the notification about retirement). The application will be entertained on a first come, first served basis. In case of abundance of applications and paucity of funds, the applications will be kept waiting.

In case of dismissal, termination or resignation of a member, his contribution will be refunded.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2015.