8th Pay Commission: Justice Ranjana Desai, UCC Architect In Two States, Named Chairperson — All About Her

Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, who headed the Uttarakhand and Gujarat Uniform Civil Code committees, has been named as the new chairperson of the 8th Pay Commission by the Centre.

The retired judge was confirmed as the chief of the 8th Pay Commission on Tuesday, on the same when the Cabinet issues its nod for the pay panel's formation.

Justice Desai joined the legal profession on July 30, 1973 after completing her Bachelor of Laws from the Government Law College, Bombay.

During her initial years, she worked under Justice Pratap, as his junior when he was at the bar. She got the opportunity to appear in several civil and criminal matters while working as a junior. She also worked with her father S.G. Samant who was an eminent criminal lawyer.

In 1979, she was appointed as Government Pleader and in 1986, she climbed up the ladder to serve as Special Public Prosecutor for preventive detention matters.

Justice Desai got appointed as the Government Pleader, Appellate Side, High Court of Bombay on Nov 1, 1995, from there she was promoted to the Bench of Bombay High Court on April 15, 1996. At the last leg of her judicial career, she was elevated as a Judge of Supreme Court of India on Sept. 13, 2011. After serving as a justice in the apex court, she retired on Oct. 29, 2014.

After her retirement from the apex court, Desai was appointed as the chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity in 2014. In 2018, she became chairperson of the Advance Ruling Authority.

Justice Desai And The Uniform Civil Code

The Uniform Civil Code implemented in Uttarakhand was based on the report of the committee headed by Justice Desai.

After Uttarakhand, she was appointed as the chairperson for Gujarat's UCC committee as well in February this year, by the state's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Delimitation Commission In Jammu And Kashmir

The retired Supreme Court judge was also responsible for heading the Delimitation Commission of India in Jammu and Kashmir.

The commission's final order increased the total number of constituencies in the Union Territory from 83 to 90, after recommending seven additional constituencies — six for Jammu and one for Kashmir.

8th Pay Commission's Formation Cleared

The 8th Pay Commission, under Desai's leadership, will meet all stakeholders before submitting its report to the Centre. The recommendations will include its proposal on fitment factor and other modalities for the revision of salaries and pensions.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Terms of Reference for the 8th Pay Commission.

In a press note issued following the Cabinet meeting, it was stated that the 8th Pay Commission will submit its report in about 18 months.

"Usually, the recommendations of the pay commissions are implemented after a gap of every ten years. Going by this trend, the effect of the 8th Central Pay Commission recommendations would normally be expected from 01.01.2026 (Jan. 1, 2026)," the note stated.