In a startling revelation during a hearing on Thursday, the Supreme Court expressed its “shock” over the paltry pensions being received by some retired high court judges, with amounts ranging from Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. A bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice P.K. Mishra, and Justice K.V. Viswanathan was addressing a petition filed by a retired judge from the Allahabad High Court, who highlighted his own pension of just Rs 15,000.
The petitioner, who had previously served as a judicial officer for 13 years before his elevation to the high court, claimed that his prior service was not considered in the calculation of his pension. This exclusion has led to what many perceive as an unjust financial situation for judges who have dedicated their careers to public service.
Justice Gavai remarked, “If there are retired high court judges before us who are getting Rs 6,000 and Rs 15,000 as pension, it is shocking. How can that be?” This comment underscores growing concerns about the disparity in post-retirement benefits among judges across different states and high courts.
The Supreme Court noted that post-retirement facilities vary significantly from one high court to another, with some states offering far superior benefits than others. This inconsistency raises questions about equity and fairness in the treatment of judges after their retirement.
The bench has scheduled further hearings on this matter for November 27, where they will continue to explore the implications of these pension arrangements.
In a related context, earlier this year, the Supreme Court had ruled that there should be no discrimination in calculating pension benefits for retired high court judges based on their prior service backgrounds—whether they were elevated from the bar or from the district judiciary. The court emphasized that a retired judge’s pension should reflect their last drawn salary as a high court judge, regardless of their previous roles.
