'Judges willing to work if retirement age increased'

Chief Justice of India S A Bobde said Thursday that judges are "willing to work" longer if the superannuation age is raised.

Responding to a suggestion of Attorney General K K Venugopal that the retirement age of judges can be extended to 70 years in case of Supreme Court and 68 years for high courts, he said, “I will say nothing about what the learned Attorney General said about the tenure of judges. He was addressing as a member of the Bar and I can say as a member of the Bar, please tell this to your client. We are willing to work."

Addressing the gathering at the CJI's felicitation ceremony here, Venugopal said lawyers who are in their 70s and 80s are "vigorously" arguing their cases and likewise, judges' retirement age could be extended. He said the present age of retirement of judges is "fairly insufficient".

At present, the judges demit office at the age of 65 in SC and at 62 in High Courts.

In his speech, the CJI emphasised the need for consideration on aspects of arriving at a decision of matters by circulation without oral hearing and imposition of qualification for appearing before the Supreme Court, in order to have a better legal system.

Notably, as of now, according to the Supreme Court Rules, only review, as well as curative petitions, are decided by judges in chambers through the circulation without the oral hearing.