IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH.

Reserved on: 25.11.2024 Pronounced on: 07.01.2025 Vipan Lal .....Petitioner Versus Union of India and Others .....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURESHWAR THAKUR HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE SUDEEPTI SHARMA Argued by: Mr. Navdeep Singh, Advocate with Ms. Roopam Atwal, Advocate and Ms. Srishti Sharma, Advocate for the petitioner.

Ms. Bhavana Datta, Senior Panel Counsel for respondent Nos. 1 to 4 – UOI.

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SURESHWAR THAKUR , J .

1. Through the instant writ petition, the petitioner herein prays for setting aside the relevant part of the order dated 04.04.2024 (Annexure P-1) as passed by the learned Armed Forces Tribunal concerned.

Factual Background

2. The petitioner was enrolled in the Indian Army on 07.10.1998 and attained the rank of Havildar. He qualified the promotion course for promotion to Naib Subedar 'Junior Commissioned Officer'. Despite qualifying the said course, the petitioner was not promoted to the rank of Naib Subedar, whereas, his juniors were promoted, for the reason that the petitioner did not fulfil the laid down criteria. As per the policy, minimum two of the last five Annual Confidential Reports of the soldier conc