File Photo: Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today upheld the decision of the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana reducing the retirement age of state government employees from 60 to 58 years.
The order in favour of Haryana government was pronounced by Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa, petitioners' advocate Satnarain Yadav said.
Following the verdict, the state government employees in Haryana would now retire at the age of 58 years.
The single bench of the court passed the orders after dismissing a bunch of at least 28 petitions filed by the employees against the state government's recent decision on the lowering of retirement age, Yadav said.
On November 25, the newly formed Haryana government had reduced the retirement age of government employees from 60 to 58 years folliwng a cabinet decision in this regard. However, the decision was challenged by several employees before the court on the grounds that it was taken due to political reasons.
The retirement age of IAS officers, judicial officers and the teachers of government-aided colleges of the state is still 60 years and that is why the decision to increase the retirement age from other employees from 58 to 60 years was taken in August, the petitioners had pleaded.
Earlier on August 25, the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda led Congress government in the state had increased the retirement age from 58 to 60 years for government employees days ahead of the announcement of state Assembly polls.