SC wants commission for armed forces personnel

Supreme Court directed the Centre to set up within two months a commission to look into the grievances of soldiers.

Saying it is unfair to leave welfare of soldiers and their families in the hands of bureaucrats,the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to set up within two months a commission to look into the grievances of soldiers.

Serving and former members of the armed forces,their widows and families feel bureaucrats do not care for them and address their grievances properly. Thousands of former personnel have returned their medals and some have even burnt their artificial limbs, a bench led by Justice Markandeya Katju said.

The court described the widespread discontent among soldiers about the bureaucratic control of their legitimate dues and quoted it as reason behind its decision to order the setting up of Armed Forces Grievances Redressal Commission.

We direct all authorities in India,civil or militar8230; to extend all co-operation to the commission to enable it to discharge its functions effectively, the bench ordered.

The court was hearing the case of a widow,Pushpa Vanti,whose husband,a veteran of three wars decorated with 14 medals,was aggrieved with her pension of Rs 80 a month. Justice Katju said,saying it was Pushpas fate which kick-started the unprecedented initiative by the Supreme Court.

Settling that the five-member commission should be headed by a retired SC judge,the bench chose Justice Kuldip Singh as chairman.

The first commission will have a term of two years and its office will be based in Chandigarh as all members live there. The government has been given the authority to make appointments for succeeding commissions and ordered to provide the staff,infrastructure and equipment as desired by the chairman at the earliest.

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This Commission will look into any grievances8230; make suitable recommendations expeditiously to the central government in this connection, the judgment summed up the mandate of the commission.

The Bench said the commission,unlike the Armed Forces Tribunal,would not be confined to the rules of service conditions or pensions and is at liberty to recommend to the Centre to change rules found defective or inadequate.