Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has cleared a proposal to increase the retirement age of Judicial Officers from 60 to 62 years, officials said.
The proposal was approved by the J&K Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio. It has now been placed before Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for the required approval.
The proposed change is expected to apply retrospectively from March 2026. If approved and formally notified, the move could benefit both serving Judicial Officers and those who retired from service after the proposed effective date.
Judicial Officers who have already retired during the period covered by the proposed amendment could also be considered for restoration to service, subject to the conditions and procedure laid down in the final government order.
The proposal comes after the Supreme Court asked States and Union Territories to consider increasing the retirement age of Judicial Officers. In its September 1 order, the court noted that several High Courts had supported raising the age from 60 to 62 years. The J&K and Ladakh High Court had also recommended an increase to 62 years, subject to an assessment of an officer’s suitability and continued utility beyond 60.
The Supreme Court subsequently directed seven states that had agreed to the increase to amend their service rules and raise the retirement age to 62, subject to suitability and performance assessment by the concerned High Court.
In J&K, the final notification is expected to spell out the conditions for implementing the revised retirement age, including the position of officers who retired after March 2026.
The formal government order will determine how the proposal is implemented and whether recently retired officers can return to judicial service under the revised rules.
