A NANA opinion means the medical or adjudicating authority has treated the disability as Neither Attributable Nor Aggravated by military service. In disability pension cases, a NANA finding can be challenged where the medical board gives no proper reasons, ignores service conditions, disregards the presumption of fitness at enrolment, contradicts earlier medical categorisation, fails to...
Read MoreIn Union of India v. Mohanraj TK, the Kerala High Court dismissed the Union of India’s writ petition challenging the Armed Forces Tribunal, Kochi’s order granting disability pension-related relief to a retired Subedar Major/Honorary Captain. The Court held that where no disease was recorded at the time of enrolment, the soldier is entitled to statutory...
Read MoreDisability pension for Armed Forces personnel is payable where a disability is attributable to or aggravated by military service and satisfies the applicable pensionary rules. In many cases, if no disease or disability was noted at the time of enrolment/commissioning, and the disability arose during service, courts have applied a presumption in favour of the...
Read MoreIn Union of India through its Secretary v. Sgt Girish Kumar and Others, 2026 INSC 149, decided on 12 February 2026, the Supreme Court held that arrears arising from broad-banding of disability pension cannot be restricted to only three years before filing an Original Application before the Armed Forces Tribunal. The Court held that disability...
Read MoreDisability pension for Armed Forces personnel is payable where a disability is attributable to or aggravated by military service and is accepted in accordance with the applicable Pension Regulations and Entitlement Rules. It ordinarily consists of two components: service element and disability element. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that, where no disease or disability...
Read MoreThe Armed Forces Tribunal is a specialised statutory forum for service disputes and court-martial appeals concerning Army, Navy and Air Force personnel. The Principal Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal is situated at New Delhi and deals with matters including disability pension, service benefits, promotion, ACR disputes, disciplinary action and court-martial appeals. The AFT functions...
Read MoreDisability pension is not a benevolent concession; it is a legal recognition of the medical cost of service.By Adv. Govind BaliA disability pension is a pensionary benefit granted to armed forces personnel where a disability is attributable to or aggravated by military service. Indian courts have repeatedly held that a disability pension cannot be denied...
Read MoreSupreme Court Directs Centre to Pay Interest on Disability Pension Arrears to 1971 Indo-Pak War Veteran Introduction The Supreme Court of India has delivered a landmark decision, directing the Union Government to pay interest on arrears of disability pension to a decorated veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak War. This decision serves as a testament to...
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