Delhi High Court dismisses plea against posting of Army Personnel to Assam Rifles

The Delhi High Court dismissed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) objecting to the posting of Army Officers/Army Personnel to Assam Rifles.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a retired Commandant in the Assam Rifles, Wazir Singh Panghal, who sought direction to the respondents to strictly adhere to the Assam Rifles Act, Rules, and Regulations in letter and spirit for all purposes, including the posting of Army officers to the Assam Rifles.

While dismissing the petition, the division bench noted that the petitioner requested that the Union of India issue orders directing the withdrawal of the appointment of all Army Officers from the Assam Rifles, among other reliefs. Accordingly, the bench stated that as it was a "service matter", thus, the PIL was "not maintainable".

The plea filed by the retired Commandant sought directions to immediately withdraw all the appointment of all Army Officers and Personnel to the Assam Rifles and to invalidate all disciplinary actions illegally taken against Assam Rifles personnel by the committee of Army officers in violation of the AR Act, Rules, and Regulations till date.

It also sought an investigation into the heavy financial embezzlement of army officers illegally claiming a deputation allowance while posted in Assam Rifles in collusion with officials of the respective ministry(s) and treasury department.

Case Title: AR 196 Commandant Wazir Singh Panghal Retd. v. Union of India and Ors.