Thu Nov 07 16:01:38 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Expresses Shock Over Meagre Pensions for Retired High Court Judges

**New Delhi:** The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed dismay over the meagre pension received by some retired high court judges, with some receiving as little as Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan was hearing a petition filed by a retired high court judge who claimed he was receiving only Rs 15,000 in pension despite serving as a judicial officer for 13 years before his elevation. The authorities had reportedly refused to consider his prior service while calculating his pension.

“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?” remarked the bench.

Justice Gavai highlighted the disparity in post-retirement facilities for judges across different high courts, with some states offering significantly better benefits.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for November 27.

This latest development follows an earlier ruling in March where the apex court declared that there should be no discrimination in calculating the pensionary benefits of retired high court judges based on their prior experience. The court had mandated that pensionary benefits for judges elevated from the district judiciary should be calculated based on their last drawn salary as a high court judge.

The Supreme Court’s concern over the inadequate pensions highlights the need for a standardized and equitable system for determining pensionary benefits for all retired high court judges across the country.

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