All Retired HC Judges Entitled to Equal Pension, Says Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (May 19) held that all retired high court judges are entitled to full and equal pension, irrespective of when they retired and how they became a judge.

LiveLaw has reported that a bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, Justice A.G. Masih and Justice K. Vinod Chandran found that there cannot be discrimination in high court judges' pension based on when they entered service and whether they were appointed from judicial service or from the bar.

The bench was considering a suo motu case on the retirement benefits of judges.

The apex court ordered the Union government to follow the principle of "one rank one pension" for all high court judges.

The full pension of Rs 15 lakh per annum will be paid to a retired Chief Justice of the high court, the apex court also held.

Any other retired high court judge will get a pension of Rs 13.50 lakh per annum. Anyone who retired as an Additional Judge is also going to get the same amount.

The report also notes that for retired high court judge who has previously served as a district judge, the Union government has to pay full pension, irrespective of any break in service between the date of retirement and the assumption of their high court judgeship.

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