Supreme Court to hear plea of Army doctors for raising retirement age

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Friday hear a plea by eight doctors of the Army Medical Corps (AMC) who want their retirement age to be raised to 65 years from the existing 58 years.

The apex court bench headed by Justice Anil R Dave on Thursday agreed to hear the plea as counsel appearing for eight Army doctors, who are retiring this month, told the court that the Defence Ministry has not implemented the central government's decision to increase the retirement age of doctors to 65 years.

The doctors, all of Colonel rank, including Amitabh Thapliyal, AK Hota, Yogesh Verma have sought a direction to Ministries of Defence, Health, Chief of Army Staff and Director General Armed Forces Medical Services that the notification of May 13 be followed to enhance their age of superannuation to 65 years.

 

The petitioners have contended that except the Defence Ministry, all others have implemented the Health Ministry's decision to retire doctors at the age of 65 years.

The decision to raise the retirement age of the doctors was announced by the Prime Minister, and it became effective from May 31, 2016.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet on May 31, 2016, said: “Central government has decided to enhance superannuation age of all doctors in Central Health Service to 65 years with effect 31st May 2016."

"With this step, we retain our experienced doctors for a longer period and provide quality health services to citizens, particularly the poor."

However, sources in the Army said whatever is applicable in the civilian domain of the central government does not automatically get extended to the armed forces.

(With Agency inputs)