The Armed Forces Tribunal has ruled that members of the Armed Forces seeking premature release from service for personal reasons do not have an absolute right to leave the service on their own will.

“It is now a well settled proposition of law that grant of premature release to a member of the Armed Forces is not a right but is based on various schemes and polices and requirement of the service,” the Tribunal’s Bench comprising Justice Rajendra Menon and Rear Admiral Dhiren Vig ruled.

Junking the petition of a Flight Lieutenant challenging the rejection of his application for pre-mature release, the Bench relied on an earlier ruling by the Supreme Court that held that the interests of the service are of paramount importance. The Apex court had said that though Air Force orders provide fo

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