Keralam likely to revise retirement age of judicial officers to 62 shortly

Keralam will have to revoke its decision not to increase the retirement age of judicial officers from 60 to 62, with the Supreme Court rejecting its stand.

Keralam will have to revoke its decision not to increase the retirement age of judicial officers from 60 to 62, with the Supreme Court rejecting its stand.The State government will have to take the decision within two weeks, and a compliance report has to be filed in the court, which will consider the case again on October 1, 2026.The top court had last week asked 21 States, including Keralam, to reconsider their decision or take appropriate decisions for the enhancement of retirement age in the judicial service to 62 years.Rejects HC’s viewsThe Supreme Court had, in the process, rejected the views of the Kerala High Court too, which was in favour of enhancing the retirement age, but with prospective effect. The decision is likely to benefit 600-plus serving judicial officers of the State, besides a few officers who had retired after March 31, 2026.The State government, which was represented by Advocate General Jaju Babu, had contended that the retirement age of judicial officers may not be enhanced for the time being.Many States argued against enhancing the retirement age, fearing that the decision would bring an additional burden on the exchequer. They also feared that the decision would cause heartburn among other government employees. There are also apprehensions that the decision would give rise to similar demands from other government employees.However, the apex court noted that the appointment and service conditions of judicial officers were matters falling within the direct control of the respective High Courts under Articles 233 and 235 of the Constitution, and other employees of the States cannot claim parity with members of the judicial service.Service of experienced judgesThe enhancement of the retirement age, the court noted, would enable the States to retain the services of experienced judicial officers, besides making substantial savings on the post-retirement benefits to be paid.The Supreme Court reasoned that the “crying need of the hour is to ensure that the attrition of the experienced judicial talent be arrested so that the gap between the sanctioned and the working strength in the judicial service is reduced, and access to justice does not remain a mere chimaera due to unfilled posts.”The Advocate General of Keralam, it is learnt, would write to the State government to decide on the retirement age in the next meeting of the State Cabinet in consonance with the Supreme Court directive, failing which the State government may have to face contempt of court proceedings. Published - September 06, 2026 08:03 pm IST