22-05-2025
HC directs parity in retirement age for vet docs
Bhopal: A division bench of the MP High Court directed the state govt to amend the service rules of veterinary doctors and raise their retirement age to 65, similar to allopathy and Ayush doctors.
The court also declared as 'null and void' the notification of the state govt through which the retirement age of allopathic and Ayush doctors was raised to 65 years, excluding veterinary doctors. Hearing a petition from Dr Kedar Singh Tomar of Bhopal and a host of veterinary doctors from across the state, the bench of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain delivered the verdict.
The veterinary doctors, in their petition, contended that they have a similar service profile as allopathic or Ayush doctors.
Raising their retirement age to the exclusion of veterinary doctors was a violation of the fundamental right of equality.
The petitioner said that they joined veterinary services between 1983 and 1988. They are working under the animal husbandry department, while allopathic and Ayush doctors are working under the health department.
Senior counsel K C Ghildiyal and advocate Suyash Mohan Guru, who appeared for the petitioners, said that in 2011, the state govt raised the retirement age of allopathic and Ayush doctors to 65 years, while the retirement age of veterinary doctors continued to be 62 years, which is unjust.
After hearing the arguments, the court allowed the petition and asked the state govt to bring parity in the retirement age of veterinary, allopathic, and Ayush doctors.
