HC issues notices to Ministry of Defence, Indian Army

New Delhi, Oct 18: The Delhi High Court today issued notices to the Ministry of Defence, Indian Army and others on a petition of a lady Army Officer seeking direction to the authorities to give her due promotion and retirement benefits.

A division bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the respondents to file their replies to the allegations levelled by Major Leena Gurav.

Ms Gurav, who is working as an acting Major in Mumbai, made a statutory complaint for granting her the post of substantive Major.

She was recruited on August 24, 1996, into the non-commissioned service of the Army, which did not permit her to avail retirement benefits.

The respondents had replied to her that the non-commissioned officers would forfiet the period equivalent to the difference in training against the permanent Commissined Officers, while taking into consideration for promotion, said the petition filed by Counsel Rekha Palli.

Even after working for 14 years, after two extensions, she would retire as a Major.

However, the persons joining as a commissioned officers in 14 years would be a Lieutenant Colonel.

''If Ms Gurav gives her option for the revised terms, she would be forced to forfiet 13 months of her service and would retire as a Major even after 14 years of service and if she did not, she would retire as a Captain,'' said the petition.

The other respondents are Additional Director General of Personnel Services and integrated Headquarters of MOD.

UNI