The Uttar Pradesh Judicial Services Association (UPJSA) has formally requested the state government to raise the retirement age of judicial officers from the current 60 years to 61 or 62 years. The appeal, made in light of a growing backlog of cases and rising vacancies in the lower judiciary, seeks to align Uttar Pradesh with reforms recently implemented in other Indian states such as Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
The representation argues that increasing the retirement age would help in retaining experienced judicial minds while reducing the pressure on the recruitment system. With over 10 lakh pending cases in the subordinate courts across the state, judicial officers claim that the move is critical for the efficient functioning and timely delivery of justice.
“We are losing highly capable judges at the peak of their experience,” a senior member of the association stated. “Extending their service by even a year or two would greatly benefit the judiciary and litigants alike.”
This demand echoes similar decisions taken by other state governments, where the retirement age has been raised to reduce dependency on frequent appointments and to maintain judicial continuity.
The UPJSA has also recommended that the increase in retirement age be implemented prospectively and not selectively, to avoid discrimination and ensure uniformity within the judicial ranks.
As the state government evaluates the proposal, legal experts believe the move could be a step toward national reform in judicial appointments and service terms, possibly influencing similar changes in other states still adhering to the older threshold.
