Supreme Court Declines Delhi Govt’s Plea Against Retrospective Honorarium Hike for Law Researchers

The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the Delhi Government’s challenge to a Delhi High Court order granting a retrospective increase in honorarium to law researchers.

The High Court had directed that researchers be paid Rs 80,000 per month with effect from October 1, 2022.

A Bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi remarked that youngsters should not suffer due to governmental delay, while leaving larger legal questions open.

The Delhi Government had argued that retrospective pay would create a heavy unbudgeted financial burden and required the Governor’s approval under Article 229(2) of the Constitution.

[Rushant Malhotra & Ors. v. The Government of Delhi & Ors.]