IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT RAWAL &

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE MURALEE KRISHNA S.

TH THURSDAY, THE 29 DAY OF MAY 2025 / 8TH JYAISHTA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 8871 OF 2024 PETITIONER:

CRAFTSMAN SHAJILAL SD (EX NO. 14533887K AGED 62 YEARS, S/O LATE PK DAS, KURUMTHODATHU HOUSE EVOOR SOUTH, KEERIKAD PO ALAPPUZHA DIST, KERALA, PIN - 690508.

BY ADV SHRI.GYOTHISH CHANDRAN RESPONDENTS:

1 UNION OF INDIA, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, SOUTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI, PIN - 110011.

2 THE CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF, INTEGRATED HEAD QUARTERS (ARMY) SOUTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI, PIN - 110011.

3 OIC RECORDS, EME RECORDS, PIN-900 453, C/O 56 APO, PIN-900453.

4 PRINCIPAL CONTROLLER OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS (PENSIONS OFFICE OF THE PCDA(P) DRAUPATIGARH, ALLAHABAD, PIN - 211014.

THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON

29.05.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:

J U D G M E N T

Muralee Krishna, J.

This writ petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India by the applicant in O.A. No.277 of 2022 on the file of the Armed Forces Tribunal, Kochi Bench (‘the Tribunal’ for short), challenging the order dated 12.12.2023, whereby th