Delhi High Court Commands Equal Retirement Age for Coast Guard Officers

The Delhi High Court has mandated a uniform retirement age of 60 for all Indian Coast Guard officers, declaring the previous rule unconstitutional. The earlier rule required different retirement ages for officers, prompting officers to challenge the discrimination. The court emphasized constitutional equality provisions.

The Delhi High Court has declared the rule setting different retirement ages for various ranks of Indian Coast Guard officers as unconstitutional, mandating a uniform retirement age of 60. Previously, officers below the rank of commandant were required to retire at 57, while those above retired at 60.

The court stated that Rule 20(1) and 20(2) of the Coast Guard (General) Rules, 1986, violated Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, which concern equality before the law and equality of opportunity in employment, respectively. The ruling came after petitions from retired officers who challenged the disparate retirement ages.

This decision follows a precedent where similar rules for BSF, CRPF, ITBP, and SSB officers were struck down. Although the Central government argued that the Coast Guard needed a younger profile for operational readiness, the court upheld the principle of equal treatment in public employment.

(With inputs from agencies.)