In a landmark judgment delivered on Monday, the Supreme Court of India ruled that all high court judges, including additional judges, are entitled to full pension and retirement benefits. The verdict brings an end to a long-standing disparity in pension entitlements among retired members of the judiciary.
As per the ruling, former Chief Justices of high courts will receive an annual pension of Rs. 15 lakh, while other judges will be entitled to Rs. 13.5 lakh per annum. The Supreme Court emphasized that denying these benefits would violate the right to equality guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution.
The court clarified that the full pension entitlement will apply uniformly, regardless of when the judges were appointed or whether they retired as additional judges or were later made permanent. Importantly, the court also extended the benefit to the families of deceased additional judges, affirming that they are entitled to the same pension and retirement benefits as those of permanent judges.
