The Supreme Court cautioned that failing to prioritise the resettlement of ex-servicemen may affect future recruitment in the military. It said such neglect could discourage talented youth from choosing a career in the armed forces.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of effectively resettling ex-servicemen to maintain the confidence of current members of the armed forces.
In a recent ruling, the court ordered the appointment of a woman who retired from the Indian Military Nursing Service.
A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra stated that neglecting the resettlement of veterans could deter talented youth from joining the armed forces.
This decision arose from an appeal by an ex-serviceman contesting a Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling that favored another candidate, ordering her immediate appointment.
The appellant, a former Captain in the Medical Corps of the Indian Army, had been appointed as an Extra Assistant Commissioner (Under Training) in the Punjab Civil Services in 2022.
The opposing party, who was released from the IMNS, applied under the same advertisement as an ‘ex-serviceman’ but was initially rejected by the state in 2021, as her application did not meet the criteria.
A single judge had dismissed her petition against this rejection, ruling that IMNS personnel were not eligible for reservation benefits under the “ex-servicemen” category. However, the division bench overturned this decision, concluding that the Punjab Recruitment of Ex-Servicemen Rules, 19823 do not exclude retired IMNS personnel from claiming these benefits.
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Consequently, the high court ordered her appointment, pending merit evaluation, along with notional service benefits.
The bench stated,
“The state government recognizes the contribution of a resident of the state of Punjab by joining the armed forces of the Union. Serving the nation as part of the armed forces of the Union requires physical fitness and that has everything to do with age,”
While ex-servicemen may be considered past their prime for military service, they remain young and capable in civilian life, the bench noted. Their integration into civil society transcends mere employment opportunities; it serves a greater national interest and contributes to building a fair and healthy society.
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The policy decision of the state government is in recognition of the fact that the strength of army personnel from Punjab is about 89,000 persons. This accounts for 7.7 per cent of the Army’s rank and file even though its share in the national population is 2.3 per cent.
The bench concluded,
“Effective resettlement of ex-servicemen is necessary to keep the morale of the serving members of the defence forces. If the resettlement of veterans is neglected, the talented youth of the nation may not be motivated to join armed forces,”
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