By the Court.—We have heard Col. (Retd.) R.A. Pandey, learned counsel for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 69145 of 2011, Surendra Bahadur Singh v. Armed Forced Tribunal, Regional Bench, Lucknow and others; Shri S.A. Siddiqui, learned counsel for the petitioners in Writ Petition No. 75332 of 2011, Subhash Chandra Pathak v. Armed Forces Tribunal and others and Writ Petition No. 75334 of 2011, K.K. Dubey v. Armed Forces Tribunal and others Shri R.B. Singhal, Asstt. Solicitor General of India assisted by Shri S.K. Rai, Shri Ashok Singh and Shri Santosh Kumar Misra appear for the respondents.

2. Shri Surendra Bahadur Singh, the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 69145 of 2011 was enrolled in the Regiment of Artillery of the army on 4.3.2002. After his basic training at the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad, he was attested as a Gunner/ General Duties (Gnr/GD). The petitioner proceeded for casual leave from 8.11.2004 to 22.11.2004 to celebrate Deepawali at home. Unfortunately he suffered a cracker blast injury on 12.11.2004, which resulted into his prolonged hospitalisation; 100% loss of vision in both eyes and amputation of two fingers of left hand. On his return the petitioner was i