The Supreme Court expressed concern on Wednesday about the low pensions received by some retired high court judges, noting that amounts between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 were “pitiable.” Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan remarked that such cases required a more humane approach rather than a purely legal one. The matter was brought to the court’s attention by Attorney General R Venkataramani, who requested that the issue be addressed in January.
The Supreme Court had previously expressed shock over the meager pensions of some retired judges, as low as Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000. This included a petition from a retired Allahabad High Court judge, who claimed his pension did not account for his earlier service as a district judicial officer. The court had also remarked on the unacceptable nature of such low pensions, questioning how this could happen.
The bench emphasized that the issue would not be decided on individual cases but would establish a general rule applicable to all retired high court judges. The court had previously noted that pension benefits should be calculated based on a judge’s final salary, regardless of whether they were elevated from the bar or the district judiciary, stressing the importance of fairness in pension calculations.
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