The Supreme Court of India, on Thursday, expressed strong disapproval of the Centre’s habit of compelling retired armed forces personnel to engage in prolonged legal disputes, urging the government to establish a clear policy to address this issue.
Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, overseeing the proceedings, criticized the government for its routine appeals against decisions made by the Armed Forces Tribunal, particularly those granting disability pensions to former service members. The justices emphasized the need for a more pragmatic approach to handling such cases, questioning the necessity of dragging these veterans into the apex court after years of dedicated service.
“Why should these persons be dragged to the Supreme Court?” the bench posed, highlighting the undue stress placed on veterans who have already suffered disabilities in the line of duty. The court remarked on the negative impact such actions have on the morale of both active and retired military personnel, labeling many of the government’s appeals as “frivolous.”
The bench strongly suggested that the Union government develop a policy to scrutinize cases more thoroughly before deciding to appeal tribunal decisions to the Supreme Court. This would prevent unnecessary legal proceedings and respect the sacrifices made by military personnel.
Furthermore, the justices warned that the court might start imposing heavy costs on the Centre for any appeal deemed frivolous if no policy changes are forthcoming.
The current case before the court involved an appeal by the Centre against a tribunal order that awarded a disability pension to a retired radio fitter—a case that the court implied typifies unnecessary litigation.
