Armed Forces Tribunal Grants Pension Benefits To Retired IAF Officer After 20-Year Service Ruling

The Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has ordered the Union Government to grant pensionary benefits to retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Wing Commander Namrita Chandi by counting her service as 20 years. The order brings relief to Chandi, whose request for Permanent Commission was rejected during her service in the IAF. The Tribunal has now directed that her pension be paid from the day after she completed 20 years of qualifying service.

AFT Revises Earlier Order In Chandi’s Case

Chandi joined the IAF in 1996 under the Short Service Commission (SSC) for an initial period of 10 years. Before completing this tenure, she applied for Permanent Commission (PC). The IAF did not approve her request and instead offered her a five-year extension. The authorities cited rules that did not allow SSC officers in the flying branch to receive Permanent Commission. She retired in 2011.

Chandi approached the Delhi High Court in 2011 against the decision. Her case was later transferred to the Armed Forces Tribunal in 2014.

In 2015, the Tribunal ruled in her favour, relying on the Delhi High Court’s decision in Babita Puniya and Others Vs. The Secretary and Another. The Centre challenged the ruling in the Supreme Court, but its appeal was dismissed in 2019.

IAF Constitutes Board To Review Her Case

After Chandi issued a legal notice, the IAF informed her that a decision had been taken to examine her eligibility for Permanent Commission. A board of officers was formed for this purpose. She was also asked to appear for a medical examination on July 22, 2020, if she was ready to accept the offer.

Chandi objected to the proposed assessment process. She questioned the use of selection rules introduced in 2004 and in 2010, given that she had been out of service for almost nine years.

Supreme Court Rulings Form Basis For Pension Relief

During the proceedings, Chandi’s lawyer contended that she should receive the retirement benefits available to an officer who has completed 20 years of pensionable service. He referred to Supreme Court rulings on Permanent Commission for women officers in the Army and the Navy, including Babita Puniya and Lt Cdr Annie Nagaraja and others.

The Tribunal considered the Supreme Court’s directions in these cases. In particular, it referred to the ruling that women officers who were denied consideration for Permanent Commission and had retired should be treated as having completed the required pensionable service.

Pension To Be Paid From Completion Of 20 Years

The Bench, comprising Justice Sudhir Mittal and Lieutenant General (Dr) Ranbir Singh (retd), modified its 2015 order.

It directed the Centre to count Chandi’s qualifying service as 20 years and grant her pension from the day after she completed that period. She will also receive other retirement benefits available to officers who complete the prescribed pensionable service. The latest order addresses her pension eligibility following the dispute over her Permanent Commission application.