Irked by Army’s attitude, Punjab and Haryana HC grants additional compensation to Vir Chakra awardee

The war-injured serviceman sustained 80 per cent disablement and mislaid an oculus successful the warfare but was not granted enhanced disablement benefits nether the ‘broad-banding’ argumentation introduced by the cardinal authorities successful 1996.

These enhanced benefits were initially extended by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) lone to post-1996 “invalidation” cases, excluding pre-1996 cases and those who were released with disablement oregon warfare wounded pension upon completing their terms, voluntary retirement, oregon superannuation.

The Supreme Court, however, struck down the cut-off date, quashing the favoritism based connected the mode of exit from service. It directed that benefits beryllium paid with arrears from 1996, on with 8 per cent interest, to each affected disabled retirees.

Despite these rulings, respective AFTs and High Courts had to repeatedly nonstop authorities to merchandise the benefits. The fiscal helping of the MoD, however, instructed the Army to situation specified orders, starring to a bid of strictures and beardown observations, including from the Supreme Court, which criticised the Army’s signifier of contesting disablement pension cases.

A seat comprising Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Meenakshi I Mehta expressed daze that the warfare leader was dragged into litigation contempt the Supreme Court having already settled the issue. The tribunal noted that the AFT had ruled successful his favour successful 2018, yet the Army was inactive contesting the decision. It past imposed an further 15 per cent involvement connected the magnitude owed to him, to beryllium recovered from the officers liable for withholding the payment.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court expressed its displeasure implicit the Army challenging disablement benefits for a seasoned who developed diabetes during service. In December 2024, it imposed costs of Rs 50,000 connected the Army and the MoD for contesting a subject widow’s pension.

In March 2024, the Supreme Court granted disablement pension and compensation of Rs 50 lakh to a worker who had contracted HIV successful work and had been denied pension by some the Army and the AFT.

Advocates handling subject cases accidental courts crossed the state are being flooded with petitions and appeals from subject authorities against their ain disabled soldiers, widows, and pensioners— a stark opposition to the attack of different ministries and departments.