Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 10

The petitions of three Major Generals who had moved the Armed Forces Tribunal against their non-empanellment for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General have been dismissed.

With this, the stay imposed in May on promoting officers to the rank of Lieutenant General has also been vacated.

In its orders today, the Tribunal’s Bench comprising Justice Virender Singh and Lt Gen Philip Campose upheld the results of the Special Promotion Board (SSB) that had considered the officers for promotion.

Three officers of the 1983 batch of the general cadre, Maj Gen SC Mohanty, Maj Gen Sudhakar Jee and Maj Gen ML Mohan Babu had mover the Tribunal after they were not empanelled for promotion by the SSB held in October 2017.

According to earlier court orders, they were subsequently given redress related to their Annual Confidential Reports and they had sought directions from the Tribunal that they be considered for promotion as special review (fresh) case as per the old promotion policy, which was in vogue during their consideration by the Board held in October 2017. A new promotion policy for Generals had been introduced in December 2017.

Considering their plea, the Tribunal directed the Army to convene a review promotion board before June 21 and consider the officers for promotion as per the old policy.

After perusing the records of the case and scrutinising the proceedings of the SSB, the Tribunal concluded that there was no irregularity or abnormality in the promotion results. According to one of the counsels, the petitioners reserve the right to move the Supreme Court against the AFT’s judgment.

Not empanelled 

Three officers of the 1983 batch of the general cadre, Maj Gen SC Mohanty, Maj Gen Sudhakar Jee and Maj Gen ML Mohan Babu had mover the Tribunal after they were not empanelled for promotion by the SSB held in October 2017.