oa 144 of 2011
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
1/36
ARMED FORCES TRIBUNAL CHANDIGARH BENCH ATCHANDIMANDIR
O.A. No 144 of 2011
Brig A K Bhutani & Ors. .Petitioner
Vs.
U.O.I. & Ors. .. Respondents
ORDER19 .04.2011
Coram: Justice N P Gupta, Judicial Member
Lt Gen H S Panag(Retd), Administrative Member.\
For the petitioner (s) : Mr. Navdeep Singh , Advocate.
For the respondent (s) :Mr. Gurpreet Singh, Sr. Panel Counsel forRespondt Nos 1 and 2.
Mr. Sandeep Bansal, CGC forRespondts Nos 3 to 5.
Lt Gen HS Panag (Retd).
1. The applicants have prayed for the following relief(s) with costs :-
(a) Directions to the respondents to immediately re-start the
release of Counter-Insurgency and/or Field Allowances as
applicable which have been discontinued on the basis of
Demi-Official letter, that is , Annexure A-11 and are being
granted to all other personnel working shoulder to shoulder
with the Applicants in absolutely the same areas and in the
same operations.
(b) With a further prayer that the Respondent No 3 may be
directed to endorse the claims of the allowances as applicable
for admissibility to the Applicants and all similarly situated
defence personnel as per powers granted to the said
Respondent vide Annexure A-7.
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
2/36
-2-
(c) With a further prayer for setting aside communication
Annexure A-11 and all related letter (if any) in the interest of
justice, equity and fair-play.
2. Briefly stated the facts of the case are that the applicants are officers
and men of the Regular Indian Army posted to units of the Border Roads
Organization in the highly volatile insurgency affected areas of J&K. The
instant case is squarely covered by a decision of the Principal Bench of
this Tribunal. The Govt of India, in the year 1994 introduced the concept of
risk related allowances for defence personnel depending upon the areas of
deployment/posting. Accordingly, allowances such as Special
Compensatory (Counter-Insurgency) Allowance were introduced for
defence personnel posted in Counter Insurgency areas and Field/Modified
field compensatory allowances were introduced vide Annexure A-1 and
A-2 in the year 1994. Further the consolidated letter dealing with the
allowances issued in the year 2000 (Annexure A-3) would show that these
are risk related allowances available in designated areas.
Applicants are officers and men of the Corps of Engineers of the Regular
Indian Army who have been posted to military appointments in the Border
Roads Organization (BRO)/General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF)
which is an organization operationalising and developing roads in Border
and Counter-Insurgency Areas for facilitation and conduct of operational
needs of the country. The said organization is headed by an army officer of
the rank of Lt General and is manned both by military personnel such as
the applicants as well as civilian (militarized) personnel who also operate
under the Army Act. Postings to the said organization are not a matter of choice
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
3/36
-3-
or deputation but are mandated by the Army. Regulation 18 of the Boarder
Roads Regulations clearly specifies that military officers shall continue to
be eligible for special concessions admissible in various areas to defence
personnel from time to time(Annexure A-4). Further note initiated by the
Ministry of Defence for the grant of higher pay scale to Lt Cols of the Army
(Annexure A-5) would show that postings to BRO are not considered as
Deputation and are in line with normal military duties which would have
been performed by the Army had these organizations not been in
operation.
3. Though the applicants are posted and deployed in the highly
sensitive and Insurgency infested area in and around Srinagar, their
Counter-Insurgency Allowance has been suddenly discontinued with effect
from the year 2008 on the basis of an objection by the Comptroller and
Auditor General (CAG) that the applicants are not actually employed in
Counter-Insurgency Operations. Even Field Area Allowance is not being
paid to them which is in contravention of the Govt orders which states that
all personnel posted in particular notified areas (including the areas where
the applicants are posted/deployed) shall be entitled to Field Area
Allowance in terms of Govt of India, Ministry of Defence letter No
37269/AG/PS3(a)/90/D(Pay/Services) dated 13 Jan 1994(Annexure A-1)
and the respondents have started recovering the allowances given to all
past retired and present military personnel posted in BRO with
retrospective effect from 01.11.1994.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner averred that Counter
Insurgency Allowance is granted to personnel operating in Counter-
Insurgency Areas while Field Allowance is granted to those who are posted
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
4/36
-4-
in Field Areas where there are no Counter-Insurgency Operations. The
applicants are being paid neither of the two allowances on the ground that
the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report of the year
2007(Annexure A-6) had raised an objection that military officers posted
with BRO were not actually engaged in Counter-Insurgency Operations and
were not entitled to benefit under the respondents policies since civilian
(GREF) personnel were also not getting the same and the BRO has no role
in Counter-Insurgency and is only engaged in planning and execution of
Border Road Works. No reference has been made by CAG to Regulation
18 of the Border Roads Regulations (Annexure A-4) which protects the
risk allowances of Army personnel when posted to BRO. As a result of this
objection, the respondents discontinued the said allowance and also
started recovering the allowance retrospectively w.e.f. 1994 without
realizing that it was the respondents themselves who were competent to
interpret and apply their policy and the remark of the CAG could not have
led the respondents to ascribe a different meaning to a policy which they
themselves had authored, interpreted and applied all these years. The
military expertise of determining whether or not the applicants are deployed
in Counter-Insurgency lies with the respondents and not with the auditing
staff. Respondent No 3 is authorized by the Govt in law to notify the staff
eligible to receive such allowances as per deployment (Annexure A-7). It
may be important to point out here that the applicants are duly posted in
proper Counter-Insurgency Areas and are deployed in making, maintaining,
operationalising and opening roads and communication lines for Counter
Insurgency Operations. The term actual deployment in Counter
Insurgency Operations cannot by any stretch of imagination be
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
5/36
-5-
deemed to exclude those very troops such as the applicants who practically
operate the roads on which the operations are actually conducted.
5. Applicants further averred that in fact the applicants face a graver
threat than others since sophisticated weaponry is not provided to the
applicants and their units to defend themselves in case of militant threats
and they operate with only basic weapons. In any case, there can be no
mathematical formula of determining such issues in a highly volatile war
zone. Moreover, the respondents have been and are providing the said
allowance to other troops posted on purely administrative jobs within the
secure cantonment of HQ 15 Corps in Srinagar, but have refused the same
to the applicants who are extremely vulnerable to terrorist and militant
strikes and operate in the open in Counter Insurgency Areas. To an
example, the respondents are paying the said allowance to Army Postal
Service and Judge Advocate General staff performing normal secure duties
in proper built up area in Srinagar but are not paying the same to the
applicants who are in the midst of Counter-Insurgency Operations. Even
personnel of the Territorial Army who are part time volunteers and not
regular employees of the Govt are being paid the said allowances even
when attached to the units of the applicants. No Counter-Insurgency
Operations are possible in the area without the applicants and they are an
integral part of such operations.
6. Reply has been filed on behalf of the respondent Nos 1 and 2.
7. It has been admitted that Govt of India, Ministry of Defence vide
letter No CI/AG/PS-3(a)/121/D (Pay/Services) dated 14 Jan 1994 has
sanctioned Special Compensatory (Counter Insurgency) Allowance
(SCCIA) to troops deployed on Counter Insurgency Operations. All Army
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
6/36
-6-
Officers/personnel posted with Border Roads Organisation were drawing
SCCIA as per rate fixed by Ministry of Defence from time to time on the
basis of quarterly Corps Notification issued by 15 and 16 Corps
respectively as authority. During the Test Audit, the Comptroller and
Auditor General of India, Defence services for the year ending 31 Mar 2006
has objected and declared irregular payment of SCCIA to Army
officers/personnel posted to BRO who are not deemed to be actually
involved in Counter Insurgency Operations and ordered to withhold
payment of SCCIA and to recover the amount of Rs. 2.99 crore w.e.f. 1994
to 2006 from the Officers/personnel. The Action Taken Note after due
vetting of Defence (Fin) and DGADS was sent to Ministry of Finance,
Deptt. of Expenditure on 12.08.2008 for placing before PAC of Parliament
The remedial actions contemplated as per Action Taken Note(ATN) were to
stop the Counter Insurgency Allowance and recover the irregular payment
made to Army personnel posted with BRO. However, the allowance
extended are area and task oriented. The allowances are being extended
to the extent possible. The allowances have to vary with the roles
performed by different sections within the Army. Army personnel deployed
for actual CI Ops are entitled for Special Compensatory CI Ops allowance,.
Part II Order regarding deployment of service personnel on CI Operations
should contain a certificate from Sub Area Commander or the Corps
Commander to the effect that they have approved the deployment of
personnel in CI Ops and the said personnel were actually deployed in such
operation. Army personnel deployed for road building and maintenance
cant be considered for CI Ops allowance. The order of Army HQ dated
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
7/36
-7-
01.05.2009 itself disqualifies the Army officials posted to BRO on the
ground that they are not actually involved in CI Ops.
8. Respondents further submitted that Govt of India, Ministry of
Defence vide letter No CI/AG/PS-3(a)/121/D (Pay/Services) dated 14 Jan
1994 has sanctioned Special Compensatory (Counter Insurgency)
Allowance (SCCIA) to troops deployed on Counter Insurgency Operations.
Further Govt. of India, Ministry of Defence vide letter No
37269/AG/PS3(a)/90/D(Pay/Services) dated 13 Jan 1994 has sanctioned
monetary allowances, i.e. Compensatory Field Area Allowance and
Compensatory Modified Field Area Allowance to Army Personnel serving in
Field Areas and Modified Field Areas. The said order dated 14.01.1994
clearly mentions that such deployment has to be area, task and duration
specific. The details of Formations/Units to be deployed for Counter
Insurgency Operations are to be notified by Army HQ. Counter Insurgency
Allowance thus can only be asked if so notified by Army HQ about the task
duration and area and it cant be granted to all.
9. Further stated that Army Officers and personnel who were
posted with BRO in Jammu and Kashmir, were earlier paid SCCIA based
on Corps Notification published by Corps HQ. The CAG in its report
(Annexure R-2/3) raised the objections to the said payment of SCCIA to
the Army officers and personnel posted with BRO, since they are not
actually involved in the Counter Insurgency Operations. Hence, in
pursuance of the objections of the Audit, the order for discontinuing the
insurgency allowance had been issued by Dte Gen BR. Vide Govt of India,
Ministry of Defence letter No 37269/GI/AG/PS-3 (a)/121/D (Pay/Services)
dated 14 Jan 1994 and 1(26)/97/XX/D (Pay/Services) dated 29 Feb 2000
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
8/36
-8-
all Army personnel posted to Formation Headquarters, Army units and
other units like MES which are located in areas declared by respective
Corps HQ as Counter Insurgency Area are entitled to grant of SCCIA.
10. Based on the Audit observations raised by the Audit, the
Additional Director General of Personnel Services, AGs Branch, Integrated
Headquarters of Ministry of Defence vide their letter No
B/37369/CI/DP/AG/PS-3(a) dated 01.05.2009 has intimated that till further
orders, BRO Units will not be included in the Corps Notification issued for
the purpose of grant of SC (CI) Ops allowance and the personnel deployed
for construction/maintenance of roads and personnel deployed for Counter
Insurgency Operations are not equally circumstanced to be treated at par.
There is clear intelligible difference which distinguishes persons who are
deployed for CI Ops and who are not. The major roll assigned to Army
officers and personnel posted to BRO as well GREF officials there is to
construct, maintain and clear the roads and not to fight the insurgents.
There is no comparison in both the allowances as one is area specific and
other is task and deployment specific.
11. Respondents further told that in compliance of order of Honble
High Court, J&K dated 06.04.2010 in contempt petition No 193/2009 arising
out of SWP No 1511/2004 filed by Shri A Rajendran SAO and 12 others
regarding payment of Special Compensatory Counter Insurgency
allowance and having due consideration of order delivered by Armed
Forces Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi on 25.02.2010 in WP No
7856/2008 titled Col G Keshav & Others Vs. UOI for grant of compensatory
Field Area allowance (CFAA) to army personnel posted in Border
Road
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
9/36
-9-
Organization (BRO), order dated 13.09.2010 has been passed with due
approval of Defence Secretary, Ministry of Defence (Annexure R-2/5).
12. It has been admitted that the policy decision of the
Government cannot be interfered, however reliance has been placed on
the Judgment of Honble Supreme Court in (2004) 5 SCC page 232
titled as Union of India Vs Manu Dev Arya, wherein it has been held
that a policy decision of the State unless affects somebodys legal right
cannot be questioned. The question is as to whether certain allowances
would be paid to a section of employees or not and that too at what rate is
basically a question of policy.
13. It is a settled proposition that a policy once formulated is not
immutable. It is perfectly within the competence of the Government to
change it, re-change it, adjust it and re-adjust it and withdraw it from time to
time. It is also well settled that even if a mistake has been committed by
the Government, it is expected that the government would rectify its
mistake and it is not supposed to perpetuate. The respondents also
placed on record the Govt of India, Ministry of Defence letter No
37269/CI/AG/PS-3(a)/121/D(Pay/Service) dated 14 Jan 1994 (Annexure
R-2/1) and 1(26)/97/XX/D (Pay/Service) dated 29 Feb 2000 (Annexure R-
2/2) vide which the Govt has sanctioned Special Compensatory (Counter
Insurgency) Allowance to the troops deployed on Counter Insurgency
Operation. All Army officers/personnel posted with Border Roads
Organization(BRO) were drawing SCCIA as per rate fixed by Ministry of
Defence from time to time on the basis of quarterly Corps Notification
issued by 15 and 16 Corps respectively as authority. During the Test Audit
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
10/36
-10-
(Audit Para 6.2, Report No. 4 of 2007), the Comptroller and Auditor
General of India, Defence Services for the year ending 31 Mar 2006 has
objected and declared irregular payment of SCCIA to Army
Officers/Personnel posted to BRO who are not deemed to be actually
involved in Counter Insurgency Operations and ordered to withhold
payment of SCCIA and to recover the amount Rs 2.99 Crore w.e.f. 1994 to
2006 from Officers/Personnel. The Action Taken Note (ATN) after due
vetting of Defence (Fin) and DGADS was sent to Ministry of Finance,
Deptt. of Expenditure on 12.08.2008 for placing before PAC of Parliament.
The remedial actions contemplated as per ATN were to stop the Counter
Insurgency Allowance and recover the irregular payment made to Army
personnel posted with BRO.
14. Respondents also placed reliance on Para 17 and 18 of Border
Roads Regulations (Reprint 1993) which states as under :
Para 17. Service personnel, Officers and others, belonging to the
Army, Navy and Air Force and civilians of the Defence Services in
Army units, save as otherwise expressly provided by Government
orders, will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of
service applicable to them in Defence Services.
Para 18 : Apart from basic terms and conditions, certain special
concessions are authorized from time to time, by the Ministry of
Defence for Army personnel in specified areas. These concessions
save as otherwise expressly provided by Government orders are also
admissible to the Service personnel employed on Border Roads
Projects in the respective areas.
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
11/36
-11-
15. It has been further averred that the allowances extended are area
and task oriented. The allowances are being extended to the extent
possible. The allowances have to vary with the roles performed by
different sections within the Army. Army personnel deployed for actual CI
Ops are entitled for Special Compensatory CI Ops Allowance. Part II
order regarding deployment of service personnel on CI Operations should
contain a certificate from Sub Area Commander or the Corps Commander
to the effect that they have approved the deployment of personnel in CI
Ops and the said personnel were actually deployed in such operation.
Army personnel deployed for Road building and maintenance cant be
considered for CI Ops allowance. The order of Army HQ dated
01.05.2009 itself disqualifies the Army officials posted to BRO on the
ground that they are not actually involved in CI Ops.
16 We heard the learned counsel for both the parties and perused
the documents on record.
17. The Applicants in this Original Application are combatant
personnel of the Regular Indian Army posted to Border Roads Organisation
(BRO in short) in and around Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir. They are
aggrieved by the action of the Respondents vide which their risk related
allowances have been discontinued and recovery has been ordered in
respect of allowances paid to Regular Army personnel posted to BRO from
1994 to 2008 and that too unilaterally without a formal government order or
notice.
18. Before touching the controversy at hand, it would be important
to first recapture the background and the events leading to the present OA.
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
12/36
-12-
19. The BRO is an organisation operationalising and developing
roads in border and Counter-Insurgency Areas for facilitation and conduct
of the operational needs of the country. The BRO is headed by an army
officer of the rank of Lieutenant General who functions as Director General
of BRO and the organisation is manned by both civilian (but uniformed) and
Regular Army personnel. A very pertinent point to be highlighted here is
that postings for Regular Army personnel to BRO are not a matter of choice
but dictated by the Army itself. Postings to BRO are not even considered
deputation and are mandatory in nature.
20. Military personnel are entitled to certain area-specific
allowances (called concessions in military parlance) when serving in the
Army and these very allowances are protected for Army personnel when
they are posted to BRO vide Regulation 18 of Border Roads Regulations
(Annexure A-4) which runs as follows :
18. Apart from the basic terms and conditions,
certain special concessions are authorised fromtime to time by the Ministry of Defence for Armypersonnel in specified areas. These concessions,save as otherwise expressly provided bygovernment orders, are also admissible to theservice personnel employed on Border Roads
projects in the respective areas
21. The intention of the above reproduced Regulation is very clear.
It protects the allowances of Army personnel when posted to BRO and
provides that the concessions admissible to Army personnel in specified
areas shall continue to be provided to Army personnel when posted to
BRO in those very areas.
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
13/36
-13-
22. In the year 1994, the Government of India, Ministry of Defence,
issued a letter governing the allowances admissible to armed forces
personnel in Field Areas (called Field Area concessions) vide Annexure A-
1 which were notified to be of two types, namely Compensatory Field Area
Allowance (CFAA) and Compensatory Modified Field Area Allowance
(CMFAA) depending upon the place of posting (collectively referred to a
Field Allowances hereinafter). The details of areas notified as Field and
Modified Field were appended as Appendices A & B to the said
Government letter.
23. Another letter in the same year was issued (Annexure A-2) for
grant of allowances admissible to troops deployed in Counter-Insurgency
Operations. This allowance was called Special Compensatory (Counter-
Insurgency) Allowance (referred to as Counter-Insurgency Allowance
hereinafter). It was also later clarified by the government vide Paragraph 3
of Annexure A-3 that only one of these allowances out of Field and
Counter-Insurgency Allowances, that is, the one that is higher, shall be
admissible in a designated area. Hence for example, if an area happened
to be a Field Area and also a Counter-Insurgency Area, then only the
Counter-Insurgency Allowance shall be admissible, being higher.
24. Unfortunately, the admissibility of both the above allowances
remained embroiled in controversy as far as Regular Army personnel
posted to BRO is concerned. Though the controversy about the Field
Allowances admissible vide Annexure A-1 now stands settled by the
Principal Bench of this Tribunal, it would still be worthwhile to touch the
same in order to analyze the entire issue holistically.
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
14/36
-14-
25. When Field Allowances vide Annexure A-1 were introduced for
defence personnel, there was no dispute about the admissibility of the
same to Regular Army personnel posted to BRO and they continued to be
paid the same without hindrance. However, the Director General of BRO, in
order to grant House Rent Allowance to civilian personnel posted in BRO,
had issued a letter saying that certain BRO units shall be deemed to be
static units to facilitate the grant of House Rent Allowance (HRA) to civilian
(General Reserve Engineering Force GREF) personnel. This apparently
was in conflict to Paragraph 5(a) of Annexure A-1 which provided that Field
Allowances shall not be admissible to static units. The confusion was
created since while the terminology of static unit was used by Director
General of BRO for civilian personnel for HRA purposes, the auditing staff
took it as a disabling factor for claiming Field Allowances even by Army
personnel. The misunderstanding was then removed by the Director
General of BRO himself vide Annexure A-9 in which he himself clarified
that the static / non-static terminology had no relationship with Field
Allowances of Army personnel and that the said term was exclusively
restricted for HRA purposes of civilian GREF personnel. This however did
not deter the Respondents from stoppage of Field Allowances to Army
personnel on the pretext that the said BRO units had been declared static
by the DG BRO (though DG BRO himself later had clarified about the
context in which the term static was used) and that civilian personnel were
also not being paid the said allowance. This controversy was however
resolved by the Principal Bench of this Tribunal in TA No 87 of 2009 titled
Col GLN Keshav Vs UOIand othersdecided on 25-02-2010 in which
it was held that Regulation 18 of the Border Roads
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
15/36
-15-
Regulations protected the allowances of the Petitioner in that case and that
since the area where he had been posted (Leh) was notified as a Field
Area vide Annexure A-1, there could be no denial of Field Allowances on
the ground of the technical objection of BRO units being static. In a well
reasoned and detailed judgment, the Principal Bench also held that non-
grant of Field Allowances to Army officers posted in BRO while providing
the same to those posted in other units was violative of Article 14 of the
Constitution of India. The Petition was allowed with costs of Rs 25,000 and
with directions that the orders shall also be made applicable to officers
posted in identical situations. We have been informed that the orders qua
the Petitioner in the said case have not been challenged, have attained
finality and have been implemented after examination in consultation with
the Department of Legal Affairs on 29-11-2010. The admissibility of Field
Area concessions thus stands well settled by the orders of the Principal
Bench.
26. The controversy thus now remains narrowed down to the grant
of Counter-Insurgency Allowances to the Applicants which we shall now
proceed to determine.
27. The letter (Annexure A-2) around which the entire controversy
revolves, was issued on 14-01-1994. The letter provides for grant of the
allowance for troops deployed in Counter-Insurgency Operations. On the
basis of this letter, the personnel of the Regular Indian Army posted to BRO
establishments located in Counter-Insurgency Areas were regularly being
paid Counter-Insurgency Allowances. An audit objection (Annexure A-6)
was however raised in the Financial Year 2007 that Army personnel posted
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
16/36
-16-
in BRO units were irregularly being paid Counter-Insurgency Allowances
due to two reasons as becomes clear from Paragraph 3 of the said
objection. The first objection was that personnel of regular Army posted to
BRO had no role in Counter-Insurgency Operations and secondly that
BRO did not pay such allowances to GREF (civilian) personnel working in
the said units. It can be seen from the audit objection that the provisions of
the rules or conditions governing the allowance have neither been
reproduced nor discussed in the said objection and a bald statement has
been made commenting that the organisation has no operational role. On
the basis of the audit objection, a Demi Official (DO) Letter was written by a
Director level officer in the Ministry of Defence to the office of Controller
General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) asking the said office to recover the
allowance from all Army personnel posted in BRO from November 1994
onwards. The Applicants have challenged this very DO letter (Annexure A-
11) and the consequent action of stoppage of the allowance and its
recovery.
28. The Applicants in their OA have raised multiple grounds
challenging the action of the Respondents which in brief are as follows :
(a) That the allowances of Army personnel while posted to
BRO are protected under Regulation 18 hence the stand of the
auditing staff that the applicants should not be paid the
allowances since civilian personnel are not getting the same, is
illegal and in contravention of Regulation 18. The Applicants
have also pointed out that in their own service, civilian
employees are entitled to certain benefits such as double HRA
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
17/36
-17-
and other allowances and schemes which are not applicable to
defence personnel and hence non-grant of existing sanctioned
military benefits to civilians cannot be made a ground for denial
of the same to military personnel.
(b) That the bullets of militants in Counter-Insurgency Areas
do not discriminate between Army personnel posted in BRO
vis--vis those in other establishments and hence it is
unfortunate that Respondents are indulging in discrimination in
grant of allowances to them.
(c) That Army officers posted in other organisations in totally
non-military roles such as the Military Engineering Service
(MES) situated in safe barracks within cantonments are also
being paid the said allowances. Even personnel of Judge
Advocate Generals department (JAG) and those of the Army
Postal Service (APS) are being paid the allowance whereas
practically the risk faced by them is many times lesser than that
faced by the Applicants.
(d) That the expertise in gauging as to which units and
establishments are deployed or engaged in operations has
been cast on military authorities as per the government letter
(Annexure A-2) and auditing staff should not be given this kind
of a leverage that they start commenting on which units are
performing military roles and which are not.
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
18/36
-18-
(e) That the statement of the Respondents that Army officers
posted in BRO are not involved in Counter-Insurgency
Operations is flawed since the BRO is actively involved in
operationalising, maintaining, constructing and opening those
very roads on which Counter-Insurgency Operations are
conducted and if there is no BRO then there would be no
operations in the area.
(f) That Army personnel posted in BRO have long been a
part of Operation Rakshak, a Counter-Insurgency Operation
notified by the Government of India, and many officers and men
have lost their lives in the line of duty in militant attacks and
have also been granted posthumous gallantry awards and
medals related to Operation Rakshak and hence it is highly
discriminatory to disallow benefits to such personnel.
(g) That the auditing staff may not be allowed to interpret a
policy which the Respondents themselves had authored and
applied on the Applicants and that a hyper-technical approach
should not be resorted to while granting beneficial concessions
to the Applicants who were working shoulder to shoulder with
Army officers of other military establishments and facing the
same threats.
29. The Respondents, especially Respondents 1 & 2, have resisted
the claim inter-alia on the following grounds :
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
19/36
-19-
(a) That it is within the competence of the government to
change, re-change, adjust, re-adjust and withdraw a policy from
time to time or to rectify a mistake.
(b) That the allowance is risk and task oriented and only
Army personnel deployed for actual Counter-Insurgency
Operations are entitled to the same when so certified by military
authorities.
(c) That discontinuance of the allowances has been done in
pursuance to an audit objection and that personnel deployed for
construction and maintenance of roads cannot be treated at par
with those deployed for operations and that based on audit
objections, it has been directed that till further orders, BRO
units would not be included in notifications issued by military
authorities for grant of the allowance in question.
30. With this background, it first becomes important to examine the
Government letter which provides for Counter-Insurgency Allowance
(Annexure A-2) and also its amendments on later dates (Annexure A-3).
31. The letter in question, no doubt, provides that Counter-
Insurgency Allowance shall be admissible to troops deployed on Counter-
Insurgency Operations in units actually involved in the said operations and
this point has been vehemently stressed upon by the learned counsel for
Respondents 1 & 2. However, a bare reading of Paragraph 1 (iv) clearly
provides that it is the military authorities who shall identify and notify as to
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
20/36
-20-
which units are involved in Counter-Insurgency Operations and it is not in
dispute that the military authorities had been notifying and declaring that
the units of the Applicants were in fact deployed in Counter-Insurgency
Operational Areas. When the expertise and responsibility of identifying the
tasks in which the units of the Applicants are deployed has been casted
upon military authorities, then it would clearly not be in order to let the
auditing staff comment as to whether the Army personnel posted in BRO
are deployed in Counter-Insurgency Operational Areas or not. Moreover,
the matter does not end here. Even paragraph 1 of the letter loses its
relevance and significance in light of Paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 of the same
letter which are reproduced as under :
3.1 Two operations, namely Operation Rakshak and
Operation Rhino are currently on. Operation Rakshak was
sanctioned vide this Ministrys letter No 8/1/90/D
(Pay/Services) dated 07-05-1990 and Operation Rhino
vide this Ministrys letter No 8(3)/91-D (Pay/Services)
dated 10-01-1992 and extended vide letter No 8(3)/91-D
(Pay/Services) dated 15-01-1993.
3.2 Troops deployed on these two operations will get
Special Compensatory (Counter-Insurgency) Allowance
at the rates mentioned in Para 2 above but with effect
from 01stApril 1993 (emphasis supplied)
32. It is not denied by the Respondents that the Applicants or
identically placed regular Army combatants posted to BRO units are posted
in areas notified as Operation Rakshak and hence it is not wrong to
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
21/36
-21-
assume that while relying on hyper-technicalities of Paragraph 1, the
Respondents have failed to carry into effect the positive direction contained
in Paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 which imposes a definite duty on the
Respondents to pay the said allowance to the Applicants. In fact, when the
deployment in Operation Rakshak is not denied by the Respondents and
rather affirmed by the notifications issued from time to time, then it was not
correct to rely on the observations of auditing staff while disregarding a
clear-cut provision in the government letter itself and also the notifications
and declarations by the military authorities who actually had the
competence of determining and declaring as to which units were to receive
the said allowance keeping in view their deployment and risk faced. On this
aspect, the counsel for the Applicants points out two decisions of the
Honble Supreme Court, that is, Commissioner of Police Vs Gordhandas
Bhanji AIR 1952 Supreme Court 16(1
) and State of Punjab Vs Hari
Kishan Sharma AIR 1966 Supreme Court 1081 to contend that once a
particular jurisdiction is conferred on a particular authority, then it cannot be
taken away by some other authority even if it happens to be higher in
hierarchy. We fully agree with the contention raised since once the
expertise or duty to identify troops deployed in Counter-Insurgency Areas
has been imposed on military authorities, then it cannot be usurped by
auditing staff by commenting on the same on a single piece of paper by
ignoring the practical realities being faced by such troops, more so when it
is not in dispute that they are also deployed on Operation Rakshak.
33. The popular meaning of the Counter-Insurgency Allowance and
also other allowances further becomes clear from a reading of Paragraph 3
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
22/36
-22-
of an amended letter (Annexure A-3) issued by the Respondents in the
year 2000 which reads as follows :
3. The matter regarding concurrent applicability of
different risk-related allowances has also been under
consideration by the government. It is clarified that only
one of the risk-related allowances at the highest
rates should be admissible in a designated area
(emphasis supplied)
34. The above clearly goes to show that the allowances are risk-
related and that they are admissible in designated areas. If that be so,
then it fails logic as to how could the respondents have denied the same to
the Applicants when it is not in dispute that they are operating in the same
areas as others and are facing the same risks. The Respondents in their
entire written statement have nowhere denied that the Applicants are facing
the same risk as other military personnel or that other personnel even
posted in the MES or other establishments with much lesser risk, are being
paid the allowance when merely posted in Counter-Insurgency Areas while
the Applicants who are actually operating in the open in such areas are
being denied the same benefits. When a particular area has been declared
as Counter-Insurgency Area, then all Army personnel posted in the said
area need to be treated at par and as facing the same risk since the said
allowance by the Respondents own reasoning in Para 3 of Annexure A-3 is
a risk-related allowance for a designated area. Employing a largely
technical or surgical approach while losing out on the proper spirit of the
policy or the ground realities is not only discriminatory but highly illogical
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
23/36
-23-
and arbitrary and not in consonance with the objectives sought to be
achieved by the policy.
35. The stand taken by the Respondents in Para 3 of the written
statement by innocuously commenting that the Applicants are employed in
construction and maintenance of roads is highly bewildering. It is common
knowledge that BRO personnel are fully employed in operationalising those
very roads and communication links on which Counter-Insurgency
Operations are conducted. It can even be said that such operations are not
only difficult but virtually impossible without the BRO. It has also been
averred in the OA and not denied in the written statement that Army
personnel posted in BRO face a far higher threat than their counterparts
posted in other military establishments since they (BRO) operate in the
open with basic weapons and without the cover of sophisticated weaponry.
It is also not denied that they work shoulder to shoulder with others and
have suffered major casualties from the guns of the militants while
operating in Counter-Insurgency Areas in the North and the North-East.
Hence when there is no discrimination in succumbing to the bullets of
militants, it should have been out of question for the Respondents to deny
such personnel the benefits of such deployment. Duties and privileges
must go hand in hand. The manner in which the allowances have been
discontinued through a DO letter and recovery ordered, allegedly even from
retired personnel, without any show-cause notice leaves no doubt that the
Respondents have acted in a hurried, unfair and illegal manner. The stand
of the Respondents also loses credibility in light of the fact that in the past
the same Respondents vide Annexure A-5 had themselves agreed that the
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
24/36
-24-
duty of Army officers in BRO is military in nature and involves carrying out
of a vital role. Furthermore a perusal of Annexure A-7 shows that
controversies about admissibility of field concessions had emerged in the
past too when ultimately in the year 1997 it had finally been resolved that
besides by Army Formations, concessions would be admissible on
notifications by the DG BRO also. This Annexure also proves the
admissibility of Field and Counter-Insurgency Concessions to Army
personnel posted to BRO which is now being denied by the Respondents.
36. Besides the fact that Army personnel posted in relatively softer
and less risky appointments in the Military Engineering Services who are
involved in construction inside cantonments are being paid the allowance,
the Applicants in the OA have also pointed out that Territorial Army (non-
regular) personnel posted in the BRO units of the Applicants to augment
the BRO manpower are also being paid the said allowance. Details on the
subject provided in Para 4(vii) of the OA remain undenied by the
Respondents. Moreover we have been informed that casualties suffered in
militant attacks have clearly been defined as Battle Casualties in Operation
Rakshak. We have also been shown one such order in respect of the
unfortunate death of IC-52477K Late Lt Col Ajay Varma who was posted in
BRO and who was later awarded posthumously for gallantry. The
unfortunate demise has clearly been shown as a result of militant attack in
Operation Rakshak and hence the natural question that arises is that if for
the purposes of facing casualties in militant attacks the personnel are a part
of Operation Rakshak then why are they not so being considered for
receiving the corresponding benefits ?. It is for this very risk that the
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
25/36
-25-
Counter-Insurgency Allowance has been introduced. The counsel for the
Applicants also points out that Army personnel posted in BRO in J&K and
Counter-Insurgency Areas of the North-East have received many awards
for gallantry and medals for serving in such areas but this need not detain
us much since the Respondents do not deny this fact in their written
statement. It is also pointed out by the counsel of the Applicants that the
Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of Army personnel posted in BRO
units located in Srinagar are being enfaced in red with the words
Operation Rakshak / Intense Counter Insurgency Operations Area (J&K)
Valley Sector.
37. To the credit of the Respondents, they have placed on record
an Action Taken Note as Annexure R-2/4 through which they had replied to
the government on the subject of the audit objections. A perusal of the note
however sadly shows that their internal stand on file has been at variance
with the stand taken in their written statement before this Tribunal. In the
said Action Taken Note, the Respondents have put on record their
disagreements to the audit observations which is diametrically opposed to
their stand in the written statement, the same is reproduced as under :
(iv) (b). The law and order situation / security environment
on the border areas of the country especially in North and
North Eastern Regions has been deteriorating since more
than a decade due to anti national activities by the terrorist
groups. To counteract the insurgency, currently two
Counter-Insurgency Operations areas (CI Ops) have been
declared by the govt, i.e., OP Rakshak mainly in Jammu &
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
26/36
-26-
Kashmir and OP Rhino in North East. Considering the extra
risk to life and numerous other difficulties to Armed Forces
personnel in the hazardous border areas, the Govt of India
sanctioned Special Compensatory (Counter-Insurgency)
allowance (SCCIA) to troops deployed in counter
insurgency operations. Accordingly all army service officers
/ personnel serving with BRO took SCCIA based on the
quarterly corps notification issued by the Corps HQrs
indicating the station of area of deployment. Army officers /
personnel are posted to Border Roads Units for Border
Roads specific jobs and also provide security to the
establishment, senior officials / personnel of BRO, work
sites and equipment costing hundred crores of rupees.
Each Border Roads unit has an operational role
integrated with formation headquarters and are called
upon from time to time to perform duties assigned by
the formation HQ. Most of the roads where troops
move for conduct of CI Operations are constructed and
maintained by Border Road Units. Army personnel
serving the Border Road are also trained in all aspects
of CI Operations for protection of roads that are
constructed and maintained by the Border Road units.
They are working alongside the Army so as to keep the
line of communication open for the active formations.
Army personnel posted in the Border Roads units are
more vulnerable to insurgent threat vis--vis Army
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
27/36
-27-
personnel posted in the formation since the units in
which they serve are not authorized arms and
ammunition. All troops in Army of the formations are
not actually involved in active combat, some are
involved in providing necessary logistic and
communication support to the troops involved in
combat zone. Similarly Army officers and personnel
posted to Border Roads Organisation units are
providing necessary security to property and
personnel of BRO units and employed in hostile
environment. All Army personnel posted to formation
headquarters and units, MES and all other units
besides border roads units located in areas declared
by respective Corps HQrs as deployed in Counter-
Insurgency Areas in peace / modified field / Field Areas
are entitled to grant of SCCIA. (Emphasis supplied)
38. In this context, the counsel for the Petitioner points out to Para
20 of Union of India Vs Dineshan KK 2008 (2) SCT 63 (SC) wherein the
Honble Supreme Court had observed that the Government cannot take a
stand contrary to the one admitted by it in writing. It is further pointed out
that when the Respondents have internally come to the conclusion that the
Applicants face similar threat as others and in fact are more vulnerable
while deployed in Counter-Insurgency Areas, then they may not be allowed
to take a contrary stand while resisting the instant OA. It is also observed
that while in the impugned order (Annexure A-11), the Respondents have
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
28/36
-28-
made a statement that the BRO has not been able to certify operational
deployment of its personnel and hence recovery should be made, on the
other hand, the paragraph extracted above shows that the Respondents
have themselves certified the operational role being performed by Army
personnel posted in BRO and the risks being faced by them. It is also
admitted in the action taken report and in the written statement that the
allowances were being paid after due notification and certification by
military authorities of the presence of the concerned BRO units in areas of
Counter Insurgency Operations and hence the statement made in the
impugned order about lack of requisite certification is not only legally, but
also factually incorrect. In the facts and circumstances, it was expected of
the Respondents to defend the grant of the allowance to their personnel
rather than to tow the line of the auditing staff which was both against the
regulations and the practical position on ground. The final decision was to
be taken by the Respondents but rather than defending their own
combatants performing exacting duties in risky Counter-Insurgency
environment, they chose not to hold their hands resulting in an absurd
situation wherein auditors came to a conclusion by which in a few lines they
chose to incorrectly define the role of an entire organisation which since
times immemorial has been performing tasks for the nation which are
operational in every sense of the word and which has not been denied at all
in the written statement. It was the Respondents own policy and the
applicability of the policy to the Applicants had also been decided since the
day of the inception of the policy and the Respondents did not require a
third party interpretation by auditors to analyze the risks faced by their
personnel in Counter-Insurgency environment. This action was also a
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
29/36
-29-
great disservice to the many martyrs of the BRO who had lost their lives in
the line of duty in militancy affected areas.
39. The counsel for the Respondents, on the other hand, has
referred to UOI Vs Manu Dev Arya (2004) 5 SCC 232 in which it was held
by the Honble Supreme Court that a policy decision of the State cannot be
questioned unless it affects somebodys legal right.
40. The counsel for the Applicants has however responded that the
Applicants are not challenging any policy of the Respondents and are also
not seeking any fresh promulgation of policy. The claim of the Applicants is
that they are fully covered by the existing policy the benefits of which have
been denied to them by the Respondents by wrongly relying on audit
observations.
41. The counsel for the Applicants has further referred to decisions
of the Honble Supreme Court and High Courts in various cases.
42. It is pointed out that the Honble Supreme Court in UOI Vs
General Secretary, Karnataka Central Excise and Customs Executive
Officers Association (Civil Appeal No 7320 of 1995 decided on 02-12-
1998) had held that officers of the excise department when performing
rummaging duties on ships on high seas would be entitled to the same
allowance as was being given to custom officers.
43. In UOI Vs B Prasad, BSO and others, 1997(2) SCT 691 (SC),
it was held by the Honble Supreme Court that defence civilians deployed
at borders for operational requirements were also to be granted double
payment of Special Allowances since they also faced imminent hostilities of
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
30/36
-30-
supporting the army personnel. It was held in the same case that single
allowances would be paid to only those people who were in the barracks.
Even recovery of allowances was disallowed by the Honble Supreme
Court. The key to the decision was hence the threat of hostilities which
equally applies to the present case.
44. It was further held by the Honble Supreme Court in State of
Karnataka Vs Karnataka State Patels Sangha and another 2007 (2)
SCT 191 SC) that when two officers are discharging similar duties and
when the Government has treated two posts as equal, then there can be no
discrimination in pay and allowances. Similar view was taken by the
Honble Supreme Court in Bhagwan Dass and others Vs State of
Haryana AIR 1987 Supreme Court 2049 and R D Gupta Vs Lt Governor
Delhi AIR 1987 Supreme Court 2086 and Jaipal and Others Vs State of
Haryana AIR 1988 Supreme Court 1504.
45. In State of Kerala Vs B Renjith Kumar 2008(4) SCT 463
(SC), the Honble Supreme Court had held that a parity recognized for past
many years could not be washed away easily and that the concept of
equal pay for equal work had assumed the status of a fundamental right. It
was also similarly held by the Honble Supreme Court in State of Andhra
Vs G Ramakishan 2001(1) SCT 347 (SC) that departure from a long-
existing parity must be based on some justified rational basis.
46. In Paragraphs 20 and 21 of Mohd Kadir Vs DG Police, Assam
2009 (4) SCT 633 (SC), the Honble Supreme Court while dealing with
parity of Assam Border Organisation with other regular forces, observed
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
31/36
-31-
that benefits should be granted to boost the morale and efficiency of such
personnel.
47. In Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan Vs Rajesh Mohan Shukla
AIR 2007 Supreme Court 2509, the Honble Supreme Court held that
allowances should be equally paid even when the source of recruitment is
different while in the instant case the allowances are being denied to the
Applicants even when they are from the same service and cadre as other
Army officers posted in adjoining non-BRO units.
48. The Honble Himachal Pradesh High Court in Nirja Batta Vs
UOI 2004(3) CLJ (HP) 90 had held that the Petitioner in that case could not
be denied the benefit of Special Compensatory Allowance (Remote
Locality) when others in the area were being paid the same.
49. The counsel for the Applicant also points out various judgments
such as Ex-Major NC Singhal Vs Director General Armed Forces
Medical Services AIR 1972 Supreme Court 628 on the issue that service
conditions cannot be altered retrospectively and that allowances cannot be
recovered without a show-cause notice but we need not delve into these
since these principles are well established positions in law.
50. As a result of the foregoing discussion, we therefore conclude
and hold the following :
(a) The military pay and allowances and also risk related
concessions of the Applicants, who are combatants of the
Regular Indian Army, are protected when they are posted by
the Respondents to the Border Roads Organisation in terms of
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
32/36
-32-
Regulation 18. The ground that civilian staff is not being paid
similar allowances cannot be held to be a valid ground to refuse
military allowances to Regular Army personnel posted to BRO
in light of the ibid Regulation as already held by the Principal
Bench in TA No 87 of 2009 allowed on 25-02-2009 and already
implemented by the Respondents.
(b) The Applicants face the same (if not more) threat and
risk to their lives vis--vis other Army personnel in areas where
Operation Rakshak is notified. This becomes even more
prominent in light of the fact that deaths in militant attacks of
Army personnel posted to BRO have clearly been notified as
Battle Casualties and admitted to have occurred in Counter-
Insurgency Operations in Operation Rakshak.
(c) We agree with the contention of the Applicants that if the
bullets of militants do not discriminate between Army personnel
posted in BRO vis--vis Army personnel posted in other
establishments, then it is not correct on the part of the
Respondents to indulge in discrimination as regards the
admissible benefits. The fact that Army personnel posted to
BRO have been killed on duty due to militant attacks and have
also been awarded posthumous gallantry awards goes to show
that they are very much a part of operations in the area and
which is a fact not denied by the Respondents.
(d) The Applicants are entitled to Counter-Insurgency
Allowances at par with other Army personnel while posted in
designated areas where Counter-Insurgency Allowances are
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
33/36
-33-
being paid to the latter. The same is strengthened by the fact
that the Respondents have not denied the payment of the said
allowances to Army personnel posted in Military Engineering
Services (MES) having no direct operational role and also to
officers of the Judge Advocate Generals department and the
Army Postal Service.
(e) The expertise and responsibility of identifying risk for
grant of risk related allowances in designated areas is of
Respondent No 1 in conjunction with military authorities and
such identification and expertise cannot be usurped by auditing
staff. The notifications issued by the military formations, as was
being done in the past, or by the Directorate General of Border
Roads as per Annexure A-7 identifying BRO units situated in
areas designated as Counter-Insurgency Areas for other Army
units shall be sufficient for the purpose. Even in the future, the
military authorities or Directorate General BRO shall evaluate
the risk faced by personnel in designated areas by carrying out
the exercise in an objective manner without being swayed by
extraneous observations. It was incorrect for the Respondents to
have directed the military authorities for discontinuance of
notifications to this effect. Regular Army personnel posted to
BRO shall continue to remain entitled to Counter-Insurgency
Allowance till the time Regular Army personnel of other military
establishments remain entitled to it in the same designated
areas. This assumes even higher significance since it is
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
34/36
-34-
admitted by the Respondents that Army personnel posted in
BRO are even more vulnerable to insurgent threats than those
posted to other formations.
(f) The Respondents may not indulge in a hyper-technical or
surgical approach in identification of troops who are involved in
Counter-Insurgency Operations since such an approach can
lead to absurd and demoralizing consequences. The stand of
the Respondents has been contrary to their own internal position
wherein they had fully agreed on the operational role of the
Applicants and the fact that they are even more vulnerable than
Army personnel posted to non-BRO establishments. It is
observed that the Counter-Insurgency Allowances should be
made admissible in a general area keeping in view the risk
faced and not on technical aspects that abide only to the letter
and not to the spirit of such risk-related allowances.
51. Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case, the
application is therefore allowed. Impugned DO letter (Annexure A-11) is
quashed and the Respondents are directed to release the Special
Compensatory (Counter-Insurgency) Allowance to the Applicants till the
time they remain posted in designated areas where the said risk-related
allowance is being released to personnel posted in other Army units,
establishments and formations, with 10% interest per annum. The
Respondents are also directed to refund the recovery made, if any, of the
said allowance to the Applicants at the same rate of interest.
52. Necessary calculations may be undertaken and effectuated
within a period of four months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
35/36
-35-
this order, failing which interest @12% per annum shall be paid until the
final payment is made.
53. Before we part, we expect the Respondents to base their
actions on the touch-stone of judiciousness and fairness while determining
such issues which can have far-reaching consequences on the morale of
the troops operating in difficult conditions. The approach should not be
highly legalistic or ultra-technical but in tune with the practical realities and
in consonance with the actual spirit behind the policy, the primary aim of
which was to boost the morale and motivation level of the men and women
in uniform who ensure our internal and external security in trying and
difficult conditions day in and night out.
(Justice N. P. Gupta)
[ Lt Gen H S Panag (Retd)]
19.04.2011
sns
-
8/3/2019 OA 144 OF 2011
36/36