Supreme Court flays Centre for challenging pension to disabled soldiers, junks 270 appeals
The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticised the Centre for pursuing appeals against grant of disability pension to ex-servicemen in the face of a clear recommendation by the defence minister in 2015 for immediate withdrawal of such appeals against disabled soldiers.
Dismissing a batch of over 270 appeals filed by Centre against various orders passed by the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) and high courts, a bench of justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said, “Raksha Mantri Report of 2015 recommended the immediate withdrawal of appeals of this nature pending against disabled soldiers, a recommendation that has not been faithfully implemented.”
Directing Centre to comply with the judgments granting disability pension to ex-soldiers, the court allowed the Centre four months to comply with the directions. The Raksha Mantri’s report was one of the documents relied upon by the ex-servicemen seeking validation of their claims for disability pension even as the Centre denied that every ailment or disability cannot be attributable to military service.
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