The Court upheld military medical standards, ruling that civilian doctors' evaluations cannot contradict specialized military assessments of fitness for Armed Forces recruitment.

Headnote:(A) Recruitment process - Medical Unfitness Certificates - Evaluation of medical fitness for Armed Forces recruitment is stringent, requiring adherence to high medical standards, as clarified by specialized medical personnel (Paras 10-12).

(B) Delay and laches - The petition was dismissed as it was found barred by delay due to the completion of the recruitment process in August 2019 (Paras 13).

Facts of the case:
The petitioner challenged the Medical Unfitness Certificates issued citing unfitness due to specific medical conditions, seeking directions for a re-medical examination after having cleared other recruitment phases.

Findings of Court:
No interference was required in the decisions made by the military medical boards concerning the petitioner’s fitness, who were upheld as competent due to their expertise in military standards.

Issues: The main issues addressed were the validity of the Medical Unfitness Certificates and the qualification of civilian versus military medical evaluations.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the necessity for Army medical standards and affirmed that opinions from civilian medical professionals cannot overrule the specialized assessments from military medical boards appointed for recruitment.

Result: Petition dismissed.

JUDGMENT

Manmohan, J. (Oral):--At the outset, learned counsel for petitioner prays for an adjournment on the ground that the arguing counsel Mr. Ajit Kakkar, Advocate, is not available.

2. However, keeping in view the fact that the recruitment process had concluded in August, 2019, and a senior Doctor from the Navy, at the request of the Court, has joined the proceedings today by way of a video link, request for adjournment is declined.

3. It is pertinent to mention that present writ petition has been filed challenging Medical Unfitness Certificates dated 05th August 2019 and 23rd August 2019 issued by the respondents. Petitoner also seeks a direction to the respondents to conduct re-medical exam or alternatively, a direction to appoint the petitioner on the basis of the medical certificate issued by the Government Hospital.

4. Learned counsel for petitioner submits that the petitioner duly complied with the recruitment procedure in the initial stages and successfully cleared Phase I and Phase II of the examination, but was rejected due to an unreasonable and unjustified Medical Unfitness Certificate issued by the respondents.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner states that the respondents should consider the Medical Certificate dated 24th September 2019 issued by PGIMS, Rohtak, wherein the petitioner was found medically fit and no refractive error was found.

6. Per contra, Mr. Sumit Nagpal, learned counsel for respondents, on instructions, states that the present writ petition is barred by delay and laches as the recruitment process for the job for which the petitioner had applied was over in August, 2019. He emphasises that the petitioner was medically unfit as would be apparent from the Medical Unfitness Certificates issued by the respondents. He points out that the respondents have placed on record the Medical Unfitness Certificates issued to the petitioner.

7. Upon a perusal of the paper book as well as the documents placed on record by the respondents, it is apparent that during final enrolment medical examination at INS Chilka, the petitioner was declared unfit on account of `CSOM RT' by Recruitment Medical Officer and referred to INHS Nivarini, who also declared the petitioner unfit for `CSOM RT' by Graded Specialist (ENT) of the Armed Force Medical Services.

8. Thereafter, the petitioner was provided an additional review at INHS Kalyani in Vishakhapatnam, where a classified Specialist (ENT) also found the petitioner to have disability `COM(Rt) with atelectasis with Prilateral Substandard hearing' and declared him unfit.

9. Today, Surgeon Commodore Kaushik Roy is present by way of video link. He states that in medical terms `Atelectasis of the Right Ear' is a sequel of Chronic Ottitis Media with effusion (Long standing infection of ear with fluid collection in middle ear) causing disability of the Tympanic Membrane and/or middle ear. He states that the above-mentioned medical condition gets aggravated by:-

(a) Abnormal pressure regulations, which are present in ships and submarines.

(b) Swimming and firing small and large arms/ammunitions, both of which are common practices during training and life as a sailor.

(c) The requirement of good binaural (from both ears) hearing for sonar duties, radio operator duties, etc. are impeded in this condition.

(d) There are chances of the disability progressing to further complications as mentioned above and finally to hearing loss.

10. Since Armed Forces cannot afford to compromise on the fighting capabilities of warship/submarines by recruiting candidates who are medically unfit at the time of entry, this Court is of the view that no interference is called for in the impugned orders.

11. This Court is further of the view that as the recruitment is for Indian Navy, it is the specialist of the Armed Forces/Navy who are well conversant with the high medical standards required during training and in subsequent military operations.

12. This Court

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