Respond to army doctors’ plea for retirement parity in 2 days, SC tells Centre

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, July 29

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to respond by Monday to a plea by army doctors for parity with civilian medicos in the retirement age at 65.

A Bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and UU Lalit issued notice on a petition by eight doctors slated to retire in two days.

Arguing for the petitioners from the Army Medical Corps (AMC), advocate Indra Sen Singh pleaded that the Centre had recently raised the retirement age of civilian doctors to 65, but the Defence Ministry was not extending the benefit to the army where doctors retired at 60 or 62, depending on the rank.

However, other government wings such as paramilitary forces had decided to follow the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare decision to retire doctors at 65 from May 31 this year.

The Centre’s move has come at the instance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making use of the services of experienced doctors for the benefit of the poor.

Counsel Singh pleaded for an order restraining the army from retiring his clients pending disposal of their petition. But the Bench asked them not to worry and posted the case for next hearing on August 1.