SC directs States and UTs to consider enhancement of retirement age for Judicial Officers

New Delhi, July 22
The Supreme Court today directed the States and Union Territories to consider raising the age of superannuation of Judicial Officers from 60 to 61 years. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana passed the direction while hearing a petition seeking uniform enhancement of the retirement age of district judiciary judges from 60 to 62 years across the country.
The apex court directed all state governments and UTs to take a decision, in consultation with their respective jurisdictional high courts on this issue. In case they agree, judicial officers in such states shall be permitted to continue in service up to the age of 61 years. The provision will come into effect from 1st April, 2026.
The bench ordered that such continuation shall remain subject to the final outcome of these proceedings. It also said that such interim arrangement would not prejudice the final adjudication on the substantive legal question of whether the retirement age of district judicial officers should be uniformly enhanced from 60 to 62 years throughout the country. The retirement age of Supreme Court judges is 65 and the High Court judges superannuate at the age of 62 years.