On October 27, 2025, the Supreme Court of India issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh government and the state's High Court registry. This action was prompted by a plea challenging an administrative decision that declined to increase the retirement age of judicial officers in Madhya Pradesh from 60 to 61 years.
A representative judges' body contended that the Madhya Pradesh High Court's refusal to enhance the retirement age contradicted earlier directives from the apex court. The Supreme Court had previously instructed the High Court to make an administrative determination on this issue within two months.
Historically, an Association had petitioned the Supreme Court in 2018 to raise the retirement age of district judges to 62 years and also made a representation to the Madhya Pradesh High Court in the same year. The High Court had rejected these earlier requests, citing its interpretation of a 2002 Supreme Court judgment in the All India Judges Association case as precluding such an enhancement. However, it was noted that in a separate instance, the Supreme Court had permitted the Telangana High Court to increase the retirement age of district judges to 61 years, finding no legal impediment to the change.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/madhya-pradesh/sc-issues-notice-to-madhya-pradesh-hc-registry-on-plea-for-enhancing-retirement-age-of-judges/article70208571.ece