Supreme Court Pulls Up Ex-IAS Officer: “Only Because You Are A Senior Bureaucrat, Should This Court Be Open For You?”
In a sharp reminder that retired rank carries no VIP pass in the temple of justice, SC bench refuses urgent hearing, stresses equality before law
New Delhi, December 10, 2025 – The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a stinging rebuke to a retired 1985-batch IAS officer who sought an out-of-turn listing of his decade-old petition, questioning whether past bureaucratic seniority entitled him to jump the queue.
“Only because you are a senior bureaucrat, should the Supreme Court be open for you?” a Bench of Justices observed orally while declining the plea for urgent hearing. The court directed the matter to take its normal course through the registry, reiterating that extraordinary urgency must be justified by facts, not former designations.
The retired officer had approached the apex court seeking early disposal of a petition concerning post-retirement benefits/service matter. His counsel highlighted the petitioner’s long and distinguished career in public service to press for priority, prompting the Bench’s sharp response.
Legal circles described the observation as another step in the judiciary’s ongoing effort to end the culture of “influence-based listings.” In recent months, similar oral rebukes have been handed to politicians, senior advocates, and corporate litigants attempting to secure early dates.
The matter has now been posted in the regular list after eight weeks hence.
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