Give Subedar honorary rank, says Armed Forces Tribunal
Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Chandigarh, May 29
Despite winning medals in Operation Pawan during the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operations in Sri Lanka, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was overlooked for honorary rank. The record office didn’t have his record of Sri Lanka service, and consequently, he suffered for nine years. However, coming to his rescue, the Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) at Chandimandir has now directed the Union of India to pass the required order within three months after considering his services in Operation Pawan.
Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Palampur, was enrolled in the Army in 1984 and served in Sri Lanka for over a year, from February 1989 to February 1990. He rendered exemplary service and was promoted to the rank of Subedar.
“His form for the recommendation for the grant of honorary rank was filled up and signed by his Commanding Officer on June 5, 2013. He was recommended for honorary rank for the year 2014. However, his name did not appear in the lists of awardees of honorary rank, released on Republic Day and then on Independence Day, in 2014,” said Kumar’s counsel Rajesh Sehgal.
Kumar made several representations to the Army authorities but in vain.
“On scrutiny of the documents of Subedar Ramesh Kumar, it was found that no mention regarding the service in Operation Pawan was found recorded, and for that Part II (a communication from unit to record office) order was not published,” said Sehgal.
On examination of the Part II order, it was found that it only pertained to inter-battalion posting of Kumar and not to the service rendered in Operation Pawan.
The Bench comprising Justice Shekher Dhawan and Air Marshal Manavendra Singh (retd) observed that Subedar had received Special Service Medal and Videsh Seva Medal for serving in Sri Lanka. “If some record was not available with the Union of India, it was not the responsibility of the applicant and that duty was to be performed by the Union of India. The applicant has done his job more than expected from him by producing the relevant record available with him, including the recommendations by the Commanding Officer,” it said.
It further added, “Accordingly, we accept the present application with directions to the Union of India to look into the matter and pass the required order within three months by taking into account the service rendered by the applicant in Operation Pawan.”
