Union of India and Others v. Rect Abhishek Rana and Anr.
Case brief
What is this about?
CWP No.19345 of 2025, High Court of Punjab & Haryana at Chandigarh, decided 14.07.2025 (Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, J. with Meenakshi I. Mehta, J.) — writ petition dismissed. Keywords: invalid pension; disability pension; Generalised Seizure; seizure attributable to military service; short-service invalidment; presumption of sound health at enrolment; onus of proof on employer; benefit of reasonable doubt; Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pensionary Awards 1982; Appendix II Regulation 173; Rule 5; Rule 9; Rule 14(b); Rule 14(c); Guide to Medical Officers (Military Pensions) 2002 Chapter II; Armed Forces Tribunal Chandigarh; Union of India v. P.A. Thomas SLP (C) No.20330/2011; Bijender Singh v. Union of India 2025 SCC OnLine SC 895; challenge to AFT order dismissed.
What did the court decide?
The Court held that the question of attribution of a disability arising in service is no longer res integra, being covered by the Supreme Court's decisions in Union of India v. P.A. Thomas (relied upon by the AFT) and Bijender Singh (2025 SCC OnLine SC 895).