Supreme Court directs 7 states to raise judicial retirement age
The Supreme Court just told seven states to bump up the retirement age for judicial officers from 60 to 62.
The idea is to keep experienced judges around longer and help fix the ongoing shortage in courts.
This order, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, applies to Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
Two month update and possible reinstatement
These states have as early as possible, preferably within two months to update their rules.
Judges who retired on or after March 31, 2026, might even get a chance to return, if they haven't taken another job and their High Court gives the green light.
The court also nudged 24 more states and union territories (such as Bihar and Keralam) to rethink raising retirement ages soon.
This move actually follows advice given way back in 2002: let judges work a little longer so courts run smoother for everyone.