Delhi High Court Invalidates Rank-Based Retirement Age in Coast Guard

The Delhi High Court struck down Rules 20(1) and 20(2) of the Indian Coast Guard (General) Rules, 1986, which prescribed a retirement age of 57 for officers up to the rank of Commandant and 60 for senior officers.

The Court held that the Union had produced no empirical data or service records to justify the differential ages on grounds of operational duties, medical standards, career progression, or organisational structure.

Finding the classification arbitrary, unreasonable, and violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, the Court directed that a uniform retirement age of 60 be applied to all Coast Guard officers.

[Chetali J Ratnam v Union of India & Ors]