Punjab-Haryana High Court
Union Of India And Others vs Arpreeta Sachdeva on 5 November, 2024
Bench: Sureshwar Thakur, Sudeepti Sharma
Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:144560-DB
CWP-6339-2024 (O & M) -1-
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH.
CWP-6339-2024 (O & M)
Reserved on: 01.10.2024
Pronounced on: 05.11.2024
Union of India and Ors. .....Petitioners
Versus
DR-10516W Col Arpreeta Sachdeva and Anr. ....Respondents
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURESHWAR THAKUR
HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE SUDEEPTI SHARMA
Argued by: Ms. Gehna Vaishnavi, Advocate
for the petitioners.
Mr. Navdeep Singh, Advocate with
Ms. Roopam Atwal, Advocate
for the respondent.
****
SURESHWAR THAKUR, J.
1. Through the instant writ petition, the petitioner herein-
Union of India, prays for the setting aside of the order dated 09.08.2021
(Annexure P-1), as passed by the learned Armed Forces Tribunal
concerned, wherebys the claim of respondent No. 1 for the grant of
disability pension was allowed.
Factual Background
2. Respondent No. 1 was enrolled in the Army on
27.03.1998 and was discharged from service on 15.10.2018.
While in service, she incurred qualifying disabilities of
(i) Chronic Kidney Disease and (ii) Keratoconus Both eye'.
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At the time of release, her disability was assessed @ 100 % for life by
the Release Medical Board but the same was stated to become neither
aggravated by nor being attributable to military service.
3. The Competent Authority rejected the claim for grant of
disability pension to the respondent. Respondent No. 1 preferred an
appeal thereagainst before the First Appellate Committee. However, the
case of respondent No. 1 was rejected by the First Appellate Committee
vide letter dated 14.06.2019. Respondent No. 1 preferred second appeal
on 01.10.2019. The said appeal was also rejected vide letter dated
24.11.2020.
4. Feeling aggrieved, respondent No. 1 filed O.A., before the
learned Armed Forces Tribunal concerned, wherebys she cast a
challenge to the above made rejection orders. The said O.A., became
allowed vide order dated 09.08.2021. The operative part of the said
order is extracted hereinafter.
"7. Considering the law laid down by the Hon'ble
Supreme Court and also the attending circumstances, the
rejection of the claim of the applicant is set aside and the
applicant is thus held entitled to disability pension from
the day next to date of discharge @ 100% as against 100%
for life after being rounded off as per judgment of the
Hon'ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No 418/2012
Union of India Vs Ram Avtar decided on 10-12-2014
subject to verification and the arrears are directed to be
released by the respondents within a period of three
months from the receipt of a certified copy of this order by
the counsel for the Respondents/OIC Legal Cell, failing
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which the arrears shall carry an interest @ 8% from the
date of this order..."
5. Feeling aggrieved from the aforesaid order as passed upon
the O.A. (supra), by the learned Armed Forces Tribunal concerned, the
petitioner-Union of India has filed thereagainst the instant writ petition
before this Court.
Inferences of this Court.
6. Before proceeding to make an effective adjudication upon
the present writ petition, a useful assistance for determining whether
the befallment of any disease vis-à-vis any member of the defence
personnel, but post his being enrolled in the army, despite at the initial
stage, upon his becoming enlisted, as a member of the combatant
defence establishment, rather the same remaining undetected, yet the
apposite eruption, thus post enlistment hence being construable to be
either congenital or being construable to become aggravated or being
attributable to military service, thus is acquired, from, the principles set
forth in the judgment rendered by the Hon'ble Apex Court, in case titled
as Dharamvir Singh Vs. Union of India, reported in (2013) 7 SCC
316. The relevant paragraphs of the said verdict are extracted
hereinafter.
29. A conjoint reading of various provisions, reproduced
above, makes it clear that:
(i) Disability pension to be granted to an individual who is
invalidated from service on account of a disability which is attributable
to or aggravated by military service in non-battle casualty and is
assessed at 20% or over. The question whether a disability is
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attributable or aggravated by military service to be determined under
"Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pensionary Awards, 1982" of
Appendix-II (Regulation 173).
(ii) A member is to be presumed in sound physical and
mental condition upon entering service if there is no note or record at
the time of entrance. In the event of his subsequently being discharged
from service on medical grounds any deterioration in his health is to be
presumed due to service. [Rule 5 r/w Rule 14(b)].
(iii) Onus of proof is not on the claimant (employee), the
corollary is that onus of proof that the condition for non-entitlement is
with the employer. A claimant has a right to derive benefit of any
reasonable doubt and is entitled for pensionary benefit more liberally.
(Rule 9).
(iv) If a disease is accepted to have been as having arisen
in service, it must also be established that the conditions of military
service determined or contributed to the onset of the disease and that
the conditions were due to the circumstances of duty in military service.
[Rule 14(c)].
(v) If no note of any disability or disease was made at the
time of individual's acceptance for military service, a disease which
has led to an individual's discharge or death will be deemed to have
arisen in service. [14(b)].
(vi) If medical opinion holds that the disease could not
have been detected on medical examination prior to the acceptance for
service and that disease will not be deemed to have arisen during
service, the Medical Board is required to state the reasons. [14(b)];
and
(vii) It is mandatory for the Medical Board to follow the
guidelines laid down in Chapter-II of the "Guide to Medical (Military
Pension), 2002 - "Entitlement : General Principles", including
paragraph 7,8 and 9 as referred to above.
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30. We, accordingly, answer both the questions in
affirmative in favour of the appellant and against the respondents.
7. An incisive reading(s) of the above extracted principles,
though pointedly declare, that when a disability becomes entailed upon
any member of the combatant defence establishment, and which is to
the extent of 20 % or over, thereupon, though any such disabled
member is required to be invalided from the Army, but yet he is
required to be assigned the benefit of disability pension.
8. Nonetheless, the assignment of disability pension to any
member of the combatant defence establishment, who becomes entailed
with a disability in a quantum of 20 % or more, but imperatively
requires a declaration from the Medical Board, rather candidly
pronouncing that the said attained disability being attributable to or
becoming aggravated by military service. The said declaration becomes
enjoined by the "Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pensionary Awards,
1982" of Appendix-II (Regulation 173).
9. Furthermore, though thereins a presumption is assigned
vis-à-vis the sound physical and mental health of any member of the
defence establishment concerned, especially when at the stage of his
becoming enrolled, there is no note or record about his becoming beset
with any disease. Moreover, though thereins there is also a further
presumption, that when any deterioration theretos, thus occurs
subsequently, therebys the said happening of deterioration(s) or
onsettings of any disease, rather is to be presumed to be a sequel of his
rendering service as a member of the defence establishment.
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Imperatively, the onus for proving the non endowments qua benefits
(supra) vis-à-vis the concerned, but is rested on the employer, and in
case, the said onus remains un-discharged, thereupon, the claimant
becomes entitled to receive disability pension. Moreover, all the facts
and circumstances attendant to the rendition of service by the
concerned, are to be closely scrutinized, thus for declaring whether the
onset of any disease vis-à-vis the concerned, is a sequel qua renditions
of military service and/or the same being aggravated by or being
attributable to military service.
10. Be that as it may, thereins becomes also set forth a further
principle(s) that yet there can be denial of disability pension to the
concerned, but only upon :
a) At the time of acceptance of the concerned in military
service, some notings becoming recorded by the Medical
Board vis-a-vis his being beset with a disease which
however, becomes concluded to be yet not rendering him
unfit to become enlisted.
b) Any further deterioration thereofs, may also
subsequently become concluded by the Medical Board, to
not arise from rendition of military service nor being
attributable to military service, rather the same being a
congenital disease.
11. Further, if the medical opinion holds that the disease could
not have been detected on medical examination of the concerned being
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made, thus prior to his becoming enlisted in service, thereupons, the
same will not be deemed to have arisen during service, yet in the
situation (supra), the Medical Board is required to state the reasons for
so concluding.
12. Moreover, it is also declared in supra, that it is mandatory
for the Medical Board to follow the guidelines laid down in Chapter-II
of the "Guide to Medical (Military Pension), 2002 - "Entitlement :
General Principles".
13. Therefore, it has to be now determined whether in terms of
the above principles, whether at the time of enlistment of the present
respondent in the Army, thus after a preliminary medical examination
being made vis-a-vis his health, thus a note became recorded about
some disease besetting him and/or whether some note became appended
that the said disease was in a dormant stage. Moreover, it is also
required to be determined, from the facts at hand, whether there is a
causal nexus inter-se the eruption of the disease, and/or the onsettings
thereofs, on to his person, thus post the enrollment of the present
respondent taking place, vis-a-vis the active renditions by him of
military service, wherebys, this Court may conclude that the onset of
the disease but rather was a sequel of his rendering service in the Army
and as such was attributable or became aggravated by his rendering
military service.
14. In addition, it is also required to be gathered from the
records, whether the Medical Board, did initially proceed to make a
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detailed incisive antecedental check, particularly appertaining to the
advent of the disease, through employments of State of Art medical
techniques, thus unveiling the block chain genetic connection,
wherefroms, rather the disease became sourced. Moreover, if the said
employment fails. Resultantly, therebys it may become concluded qua
eruptions thereof, thus subsequent to the apposite enlistment taking
place, rather was not congenital but owed its origin to rendition of
military service besides it being attributable to or becoming aggravated
by performance of military service. Contrarily, if the supra employed
techniques at the stage of apposite enlistment taking place, thus by the
Medical Board concerned, leads to a conclusion, that there are rather
dormant incidences of any disease, but yet the said dormant disease not
prohibiting the enlistment of any personnel in the army, navy or air
force. Resultantly the subsequent active detection/eruption thereofs,
during the course of rendition of military service, but would naturally
lead to a well conclusion by the Medical Board, that its active eruption
but became sourced from an effective causal genetic connection
wherebys there would be denial of disability pension.
15. However, now in the said endeavour, this Court is required
to be extracting the contents of the opinion, as became recorded by the
release medical board.
Disability Attributable Aggravated Not connected Reason
to Service by Service with Service
1. Chronic Kidney Disease No No Yes ID is conceded to be
(Autosomal Dominant neither caused nor
Polycystic Kidney affected by service
Disease) Renal Transplant conditions. Hence,
Recipient (Q 61.2) conceded to be
NANA.
2.Keratoconus Both Eye No No Yes
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16. A reading of the records reveals that at the time of the
apposite enlistment taking place rather no note became made in terms
of the principles (supra) declared by the Hon'ble Apex Court in case
titled as Dharamvir Singh Vs. Union of India (supra) by the Medical
Board, that some disease which however, did not forbid the present
respondent, to become enlisted in the Army, did make its preliminary
onsettings. If so, the declaration of law in judgment (supra) that
therebys there is a presumption that the incurring of the said disease
was a sequel of rendition of service, is required to be favourably
endowed vis-a-vis the respondent. Though the said presumption is
rebuttable but the onus to lead evidence to rebut the said presumption
became cast upon the petitioner. However, the said cast evidence
adducing discharging onus vis-a-vis the respondent, rather for cogently
rebutting the said presumption, but naturally also did cast an onerous
duty also upon the Medical Board, to engage itself in the endeavour of
unearthing, through employments of the State of Art block chain
genetic causal connection technique(s), wherebys it may became
unraveled that the onsetting of the disease onto the army personnel,
became sourced from antecedental genetic family history. Moreover,
therebys it was also required to be stated in the medical opinion, that
the disease but for a well formed reason rather was a congenital disease
and became neither aggravated by nor became attributable to military
service.
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17. However, a reading of opinion (supra), discloses that it has
been recorded in a stereo typed form and no reasons have been recorded
to the extent (supra). Reiteratedly, since no evidence to rebut the
presumption (supra) has been led by the petitioner, therebys, this Court
is constrained to give no weightage to the opinion of the medical board,
as extracted (supra). Conspicuously, no credence can be assigned to the
supra ill informed reason, besides therebys the onsetting of the disease
cannot be said to be a sequel of antecedental genetic family history.
Contrarily, it is required to be declared to arise from rendition of
military service. In addition, it is required to be declared to be
attributable or becoming aggravated by rendition of military service by
the present respondent.
18. Moreover, though it is stated thereins that the disease
occurred while service became performed by the defence personnel
rather in a peace area, but since there is no express mandate in the
relevant regulations, which makes the onsettings of the disease in a
peace area, to not beget a further sequel that as such, it's onsettings did
not arise from the rendition of military service nor it became aggravated
by rendition of the military service. In consequence, the lack of the said
express mandate in the regulations, does constrain this Court to
conclude, that even if the onsettings of the said disease upon the present
respondent thus occurred in a peace area, thereby, the said onsettings
are to be declared to become aggravated by or being attributable to
rendition of military service.
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19. Further, since in terms of the judgment rendered by the
Apex Court, in case titled as 'Union of India Vs. Ram Avtar', reported
in 2014 SCC Online 1761, whereins, a declaration is made to the
extent, that the benefit of rounding off, rather has to become endowed
to the concerned. Resultantly also thereunders an indefeasible right
became vested in the present respondent for his seeking qua the
apposite roundings off being made in his favour.
20. Even otherwise since the declaration of law made in
verdict (supra) makes the said declaration to be an expostulation of law
in rem, therebys, the expostulation of law in rem, as made in verdict
(supra) also makes the thereunders conferred benefits vis-a-vis the
defence personnel concerned, to, prima facie, also entitle the
concerned, thus to at any time seek the granting of the endowments as
made thereunders, and that too, in the fullest complement, as spelt
thereunders, besides irrespective of the bar, if any, of delay and laches.
21. Therefore, the granting of the benefit of the apposite
roundings off, in terms of the verdict (supra) rendered by the Tribunal
concerned, also does not suffer from any illegality and is required to be
upheld.
Final Order of this Court.
22. In aftermath, this Court finds no merit in the writ petition
and with observations above, the same is dismissed.
23. The impugned order, as passed by the learned Tribunal
concerned, is maintained and affirmed.
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24. Disposed of alongwith all pending application(s), if any
(SURESHWAR THAKUR)
JUDGE
(SUDEEPTI SHARMA)
05.11.2024 JUDGE
kavneet singh
Whether speaking/reasoned : Yes/No
Whether reportable : Yes/No
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