The Full Court docket of the Patna Excessive Court docket has resolved to reinforce the retirement age of judicial officers in Bihar from 60 to 62 years.
The choice comes whereas the Supreme Court docket is presently contemplating whether or not the retirement age of members of the district judiciary must be uniformly enhanced to 62 years throughout the nation.
In a communication dated August 31, 2026 addressed to the Extra Chief Secretary, Common Administration Division, Authorities of Bihar, Patna Excessive Court docket Registrar Common Rupesh Deo knowledgeable the State Authorities that the Full Court docket had resolved on August 18 to reinforce the retirement age of judicial officers of Bihar from 60 to 62 years.
The communication states: “The Hon’ble Court docket have been happy to resolve to reinforce the retirement age of Judicial Officers of the State of Bihar, from 60 to 62, vide decision dated 18.08.2026 of the Hon’ble Full Court docket.”
The Registrar Common requested the State Authorities to take essential motion on the Full Court docket decision.
On July 22, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana within the case of All India Judges Association v. Union of India directed all States and Union Territories to take a choice, in session with their respective Excessive Courts, on enhancing the retirement age of District Judges from 60 to 61 years.
The Court docket directed that the place each the State/UT and the involved Excessive Court docket agree, judicial officers as a result of retire at 60 might proceed in service as much as 61 years, topic to the ultimate final result of the proceedings. The enhancement, the place agreed upon, was to take impact from April 1, 2026.
On the similar time, the Supreme Court docket made it clear that the bigger query of whether or not the retirement age of District Judges must be uniformly fastened at 62 years throughout the nation could be determined independently.
Through the listening to, CJI Surya Kant had additionally noticed, within the context of the present retirement age of Excessive Court docket judges, “If district choose additionally retires at 62, what is the difficulty?”
The Patna Excessive Court docket’s Full Court docket decision locations Bihar among the many States the place the judiciary has moved in the direction of a 62-year retirement age.
The Supreme Court docket had been knowledgeable in the course of the July proceedings that the Full Court docket of the Madhya Pradesh Excessive Court docket had additionally resolved to reinforce the retirement age of District Judges to 62 years. Telangana was equally said to have taken a choice in favour of enhancement.
Nevertheless, sure States, together with Punjab and Haryana, had opposed enhancement, declaring that the retirement age of presidency staff of their respective jurisdictions remained 60 years or beneath.
The Supreme Court docket had accordingly directed States, UTs and Excessive Courts to put their respective positions on document.
