​On April 24, 2025, the Supreme Court of India clarified that the responsibility for bearing the medical reimbursement expenses of retired High Court judges lies with either the state of their first appointment or the state from which they retired. This clarification aims to resolve ambiguities, especially in cases where judges have served in multiple states due to transfers.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan reaffirmed that retired judges are entitled to medical facilities on par with sitting judges, which include:​

Reimbursement for treatment in private hospitals without prior state approval.

Authorization for such reimbursement to be sanctioned by the Registrar General of the High Court.

Reimbursement for treatment taken in another state.

Access to cashless medical treatment facilities.​

The Court emphasized that failure by state governments to comply with these directives could lead to proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1981.

The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on April 29, 2025.​

Sources