Supreme Court raises District Judge retirement age to 62, allows voluntary extension
A three-judge Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant has directed seven states—Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal—to raise the retirement age of District Judges from 60 to 62 years. The enhancement will be conditional on suitability and performance assessment.
The bench noted the measure aims to preserve experienced judicial officers while removing underperforming staff and allowing entry of younger judges. Retired officers in consenting states have been permitted to rejoin service under specified conditions.
The Court directed remaining states and Union Territories to reconsider their positions on the enhancement. The order emerges from ongoing litigation regarding service conditions of the subordinate judiciary across the country.
