No proposal to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court Judges from 65 to 68 years, says Union Law Minister Sadananda Gowda

Union Law Minister Mr. Sadananda Gowda on Friday said there was no proposal to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 68 years. 

Law Minister Sadananda Gowda has said there is no proposal to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 68 years

On whether the Centre was considering increasing the retirement age of judges of the 24 high courts from 62 to 65 years, the minister said a constitutional amendment bill in this regard was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 25, 2010 which lapsed with the dissolution of the 15^th Lok Sabha. 

In response to a question in Rajya Sabha, he said the Bill was later referred to a parliamentary committee, which recommended that the proposed Bill "in its present form should be passed without a delay" but the bill could not be taken up for consideration and passing in Parliament and had lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha. 

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"..the government has requested the Chief Justices of HCs that while sending proposals for appointment of judges, due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, minorities and from among women" - Union Law Minister Sadananda Gowda

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Mr.  Gowda said that as on December 1, there were three vacancies in the SC which has an approved strength of 31. In the 24 HCs, the working strength stands at 629 against the approved strength of 984, resulting in 355 vacancies.

He said the Constitution does not provide for reservation for any caste or class of person in the higher judiciary. "However, the government has requested the Chief Justices of HCs that while sending proposals for appointment of judges, due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, minorities and from among women," he said.