Fourteen States agree to raise the retirement age of district judiciary judges to 62

26 October 2026

The Supreme Court was told that fourteen States have agreed to raise the retirement age of judges of the district judiciary from 60 to 62 years. The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana said consenting States should amend their service rules, preferably within two months, subject to a suitability assessment by the concerned High Court. Officers in those States who have reached 60 will not retire until 62, pending the rule amendments. The Court asked the remaining States and Union Territories to reconsider their position, and recalled that it had earlier held that States cannot cite financial burden to oppose the change. The issue goes back to the Court's 2002 judgment, which declined to accept the recommendation of the Justice K. Jagannatha Shetty Commission to raise the retirement age of district judges to 62. Supreme Court judges retire at 65 and High Court judges at 62.