Newdelhi,Oct 26, 2026 12:32 IST
The Supreme Court expressed satisfaction that 14 states have agreed to increase the retirement age of district judicial officers from 60 to 62 years, advancing efforts toward a uniform policy across India's district judiciary. However, the bench declined to urgently list separate petitions filed by judges who are about to retire or have recently retired, stating it does not approve of individual judicial officers filing separate pleas when the broader matter is already scheduled for hearing.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana noted that the issue falls under the persuasive jurisdiction of the court and involves matters between the judiciary and state governments. While declining to fast-track the individual pleas despite arguments that judicial officers are retiring daily, the Chief Justice expressed hope that the remaining states would eventually follow suit.
Earlier in September, the bench had directed states to implement the age increase to 62 years. The court had specified that officers in several states who retired on or after March 31 should be offered the option to rejoin service provided they have not taken up alternative employment. States that agreed to the change were instructed to amend their respective service rules, with extensions remaining subject to suitability assessments by the concerned high courts.
The Supreme Court also directed numerous other states and Union territories to reconsider their previous decisions regarding the retirement age. The bench has consistently maintained that state governments cannot cite financial burdens to oppose the adjustment, noting the ongoing efforts to establish a consistent retirement framework for the district judiciary, where supreme court judges retire at 65 and high court judges at 62.