Supreme Court Verdict Highlights
- SC mandates One Rank One Pension (OROP) for all retired High Court judges, including those who retired as additional judges.
- Full pension and retirement benefits must be uniformly applied, regardless of:
- Source of entry: Whether from district judiciary or the Bar.
- Tenure: Length of service as a judge.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance, Social Issues)
Key Observations by the Court
- “One rank, one pension” must be the norm for constitutional offices.
- Inequality in pension violates Article 14 of the Constitution (Right to Equality).
- Disparity based on length of service or mode of entry is unconstitutional.
Pension Directive
- The Centre is directed to pay:
- ₹15 lakh per annum as full pension to retired Chief Justices of High Courts.
- Applicable irrespective of tenure or source of entry.
Implications
- Standardizes retirement benefits among judges.
- Ensures dignity and parity in post-retirement life of constitutional functionaries.
- May prompt similar demands from other constitutional/executive offices.
Constitutional and Legal Context
- Reinforces Article 14: Right to equality before law.
- Affirms principle of non-discrimination in service benefits for holders of constitutional posts.
- Strengthens judicial independence through uniform post-retirement dignity.
Amit Shah launches e-Zero FIR initiative
Key Initiative: e-Zero FIR
- Launched by: Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
- Pilot location: Delhi.
- Objective: Automatic registration of FIRs for financial cybercrimes involving fraud over ₹10 lakh.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance)
Mechanism & Platforms Involved
- Complaints made via:
- 1930 helpline
- cybercrime.gov.in portal
- Auto-converted to FIRs without victim needing to approach a police station.
- Integrated systems:
- I4C’s National Cybercrime Reporting Portal
- Delhi Police e-FIR system
- NCRB’s Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS)
Purpose & Benefits
- Ensures swift registration of cybercrime complaints.
- Reduces delays in investigation and increases chances of fund recovery.
- Addresses victim difficulties in getting police to file FIRs in high-value cyber frauds.
- Aims to strengthen cybercrime enforcement nationwide.
National Impact
- Initiative to be scaled up across India after Delhi pilot.
- Supports centralised tracking and real–time response to cyber financial frauds.
- Enhances coordination among police, forensic units, and data networks.
Broader Context
- Part of strengthening India’s cybercrime response infrastructure under I4C.
- Aligns with Digital India goals and rising cybercrime threats in financial domains.
