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Fixing retirement age is sole discretion of the government: Supreme Court

Friday, Dec 31, 2010, 18:49 IST | !ace: "e# De!$i | %&ency: TI T$e ape' co(rt a&reed #it$ t$e &o)ernment*+ )ie# t$at ,i'in& t$e a&e ,a!!+ #it$in t$e e'c!(+i)e competence o, t$e State a(t$oritie+, and t$(+, t$e co(rt +$o(!d not inter,ere in +(c$ po!icy deci+ion+, (n!e++ it #a+ patent!y (ncon+tit(tiona!%&e o, +(perann(ation can .e red(ced or increa+ed (ni!atera!!y at t$e di+cretion o, t$e &o)ernment and co(rt+ cannot inter,ere #it$ +(c$ deci+ion+, t$e S(preme /o(rt $a+ r(!ed% t$ree 0(d&e .enc$ o, 1(+tice 12 anc$a!, 1(+tice Deepa3 4erma and 1(+tice 5 /$a($an in a 0(d&ment 6(a+$ed t$e interim order+ o, t$e %!!a$a.ad $i&$ co(rt #$ic$ $ad directed t$e 2aya#ati &o)ernment to re+tore 72 year+ a+ t$e a&e o, +(perann(ation ,or &o)ernment p!eader+ 8ad)ocate+9T$e ape' co(rt a&reed #it$ t$e &o)ernment*+ )ie# t$at ,i'in& t$e a&e ,a!!+ #it$in t$e e'c!(+i)e competence o, t$e State a(t$oritie+, and t$(+, t$e co(rt +$o(!d not inter,ere in +(c$ po!icy deci+ion+, (n!e++ it #a+ patent!y (ncon+tit(tiona!/itin& t$e /on+tit(tiona! .enc$ 0(d&ment+ in t$e 5i+$(n "arain 2i+ra )+ t$e State o, :ttar rade+$ 8197;9 ca+e, t$e ape' co(rt +aid red(cin& t$e a&e o, retirement co(!d neit$er .e in)a!id nor co(!d .e $e!d to .e retro+pecti)e a+ t$e +aid r(!e #a+ a met$od adopted to tide o)er t$e di,,ic(!t +it(ation #$ic$ co(!d ari+e in p(.!ic +er)ice+<It i+ e)ident t$at e)en in &o)ernment +er)ice+ #$ere t$e term+ and condition+ o, +er)ice are &o)erned .y t$e +tat(tory pro)i+ion+, t$e !e&i+!at(re i+ competent to en$ance or red(ce t$e a&e o, +(perann(ation<In )ie# o, t$e a.o)e, it i+ .eyond o(r ima&ination a+ to #$y +(c$ a co(r+e i+ not permi++i.!e ,or t$e appe!!ant =+tate #$i!e ,i'in& t$e a&e o, #or3in& o, t$e di+trict &o)ernment ad)ocate+,< t$e .enc$ o.+er)edIn t$e in+tant ca+e t$e $i&$ co(rt $ad +tayed t$e operation o, amended pro)i+ion+ o, t$e : >e&a! Remem.rancer 2an(a! 8>R 2an(a!9 #$ic$ +o(&$t to red(ce t$e retirement a&e ,rom 72 to 70 year+It $ad ,(rt$er directed t$e +tate &o)ernment to con+ider t$e app!ication+ ,or rene#a! o, t$e a!! di+trict &o)ernment co(n+e! #$o+e term $ad a!ready e'pired, re+ortin& to t$e (namended pro)i+ion+ o, t$e >R 2an(a! and t$ey .e a!!o#ed to +er)e ti!! t$ey attain t$e a&e (pto 72 year+<T$e $i&$ co(rt (nder no circ(m+tance co(!d direct t$e State a(t$oritie+ to con+ider t$e ca+e+ ,or rene#a!?e'ten+ion (nder t$e pro)i+ion+ o, t$e (namended >R ie non=e'i+tin& pro)i+ion+S(c$ interim order tantamo(nt+ to !e&i+!ation .y 0(dicia! order+,< 1(+tice /$a($an #ritin& t$e 0(d&ment o.+er)edT$e ape' co(rt a!+o reca!!ed it+ ear!ier r(!in& in t$e Ro+$an >a! Tandon )- :nion o, India @ Ar+ 8197B9 t$at emo!(ment+ o, &o)ernment +er)ant+ and term+ o, +er)ice <co(!d .e a!tered .y t$e emp!oyer (ni!atera!!y ,or t$e rea+on t$at condition+ o, +er)ice are &o)erned .y +tat(tory r(!e+ #$ic$ can .e (ni!atera!!y a!tered .y t$e &o)ernment #it$o(t t$e con+ent o, t$e emp!oyee-<