RAJ BAHADUR Vs. STATE OF U P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Shri Yogesh Agarwal, learned counsel for the petitioner and learned standing counsel.

(2.) The petitioner was a Chief Veterinary Officer in U. P. Government Service who retired on 27.12.99 on reaching the age of superannuation of 58 years. This petition was filed before the petitioner retired and the prayer was that the age of retirement of State Government employees be raised by amending the relevant rules. It is stated in paras 3 and 4 of the writ petition that the Vth Pay Commission recommended the increase of age of superannuation of the Central Government employees to 60 years. On the basis of this recommendation, the Central Government raised the age of superannuation of its employees to 60 years vide Annexure-1 to the petition. In para 8 of the writ petition, it is stated that the State Government decided to grant the same pay scale to its employees as is being given to the employees of the Central Government on equivalent posts. It is submitted that since the State Government has granted equivalence of pay scale for its employees ufs-a-yts the employees of the Central Government, it should also increase the age of superannuation of State Government Employees to 60 years.

(3.) We are of the opinion that although this Court cannot give a binding directive to the State Government and the High Court to increase the age of superannuation of its employees to 60 years yet we strongly feel that the State Government and the High Court should raise the age of superannuation of its employees to 60 years, particularly when equivalence of pay scale has been granted to the State Government employees as compared to the Central Government employees.