KOCHI: The state government has submitted before the Kerala High Court that if the retirement age of HC staff is enhanced, there will be a clamour for a similar enhancement of the retirement age of government employees. “The enhancement of age will deny opportunity to new candidates, who are capable of handling advanced technologies and are expecting to get a job after passing the competitive examination,” said the government.
The government had earlier informed the HC registrar general that the retirement age of government employees remains unchanged. Hence it is not possible to consider the enhancement of the retirement age of HC staff from 56. The registrar general again sent a letter to the government on March 18 requesting to reconsider the matter and accord approval for the proposal to enhance the retirement age of the members of High Court service. The matter is under consideration by the government, stated the affidavit.
The affidavit was filed in response to a petition filed by Ajith Kumar V S and other High Court staff seeking to continue in service till the government takes a decision on the proposal to enhance the pension age.
The additional information submitted by the registrar general on April 28 reveals that 97 High Court employees retire from service during the period from October 25, 2022, to December 31, 2024. Among them, some of the employees are in the category of typists, Duffadar, chauffeurs, escort attendants, office attendants, watchmen, sweepers, court keepers and lift operators. “They cannot be considered as experienced staff required for implementing paperless court,” said the government.
Technical personnel from the National Informatics Centre Services Incorporated (NICSI) and other technical manpower have been made available for implementation of the Paperless Court Project and E-Court Project of the High Court.
The team is currently working on the implementation of the Paperless Court Project and E-Court Project. Paperless Court Project and E-Court Project will be completed within a time frame. The reason stated in the communication, in support of the proposal for enhancement of the superannuation age from 56 to 58 is that the High Court is foraying into customary and paperless courts. But to make Paperless Court Project and E-Court Project fully operational, technical experts have been hired on a contract basis.