2 min readNew DelhiJul 6, 2010 08:43 PM IST
First published on: Jul 6, 2010 at 08:43 PM IST
The Supreme Court today upheld the sacking of an Army major for financial irregularities,observing that officers should lead and inspire their subordinates not only by sacrficing their lives for the country but also by setting high moral standards.
A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and T S Thakur said in a judgement that higher the office a person holds,the greater is the demand from him or her to stick to the highest personal rectitude.
“An officer holding the rank of Major has to lead by example not only in the matter of his readiness to make the supreme sacrifice required of him in war or internal strife but even in adherence to the principles of honesty,loyalty and commitment.
“An officer cannot inspire those under his command to maintain the values of rectitude and to remain committed to duty if he himself is found lacking in that quality,” the apex court said while upholding the dismissal of Major Charanjit Lamba.
Lamba was dismissed from service in 1978 by the Army after it was found that he had made false claims for reimbursement towards transfer allowances from Maharashtra to Chandigarh to the tune of over Rs 16,000. The Major was also found guilty of not clearing his power bills on transfer.
He had challenged the dismissal on the ground that the punishment was shockingly disproportionate to the offence. The Bombay High Court dismissed his plea,following which he had appealed in the apex court.
Upholding the dismissal,the apex court said “as an officer of a disciplined force like the Army,he was expected to maintain the highest standard of honesty and conduct and forebear from doing anything that could be termed as unbecoming of anyone holding that rank and office.
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