- विज्ञापन -
The Supreme Court has given a big blow to the Class IV employees working in Himachal. The apex court has stayed the order of the Himachal High Court, under which their retirement age limit was increased from 58 to 60 years.
A division bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Prasanna B Varale of the Supreme Court has stayed the order passed by the High Court on 8 August 2024. In this order, orders were given to increase the retirement age limit of Class IV employees from 58 to 60 years. The Supreme Court has issued notices to all the respondents in the case.
On the other hand, the Directorate of Higher Education has issued a letter to all the District Deputy Directors and issued orders that till the stay of the orders of the Supreme Court remains, no one should be given extension of service on completion of 58 years. Earlier in Himachal, Class IV employees of some departments were retired at 60 years, but for some time their retirement was being done after completion of 58 years.
The state High Court had rejected the government’s notification issued on 21 February 2018. It was said to create a distinction between employees appointed before 10 May 2001 and after that. The division bench had said that this distinction does not meet the test of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and the cutoff date of 10 May 2001 in the notification is arbitrary. The court had ordered the government that such petitioners / fourth class employees who retired from service before the age of 60 years will be reinstated by the respondents.
