Govt tries to douse controversy over foreign allowance issue

The Government attempted to set at rest the controversy over the issue of daily allowance for wife of Chief Justice of India during visits abroad saying the spouses of judges were indeed entitled to it.

The Government on Wednesday attempted to set at rest the controversy over the issue of daily allowance for wife of Chief Justice of India during visits abroad saying the spouses of judges were indeed entitled to it.

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The Department of Justice while issuing a clarification said it "highly regretted" its "incomplete" reply by its CPIO to an RTI plea giving an "erroneous" impression that the Government only paid the air passage to the spouse of the Chief Justice and that no daily allowance had been sanctioned so far.

The RTI plea had sought details of foreign travel allowance paid to wife of Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan while accompanying her husband on a six-day visit to Dublin and London from October 12 last.

"It is hereby clarified that on the basis of the sanctions issued by this department till recently the spouses of Judges were given daily allowance by the Indian Missions abroad since they were also part of the official delegation," a statement by the Justice Department said.

The statement also said that the Finance Ministry has clarified further that under the rules there is no difference in the entitlement of an officials on a tour abroad or a member of his family who has been authorised to accompany him.