Armed Forces Tribunal
Smt Santosh Devi (Army) vs UOI & Others on 10 July 2026
ARMED FORCES TRIBUNAL, REGIONAL BENCH, JAIPUR
6.
OA 70/2014
Smt Santosh Devi, wd/o No 1174321 Late Gnr Amar Singh, Resident of Village Chouradi (Aguni), Post Dh ingadia, Tehsil Chirawa, District Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan
…. Applicant
Versus
1.
UOI, through the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi
2.
Dte Gen of Artillery, GS Branch, IHQ of MoD (Army), New Delhi –
110 011
3.
Topkhana Abhilekh, Artillery Records, PIN 908 802, c/o 56 APO
4.
Dte Gen of Artillery, (Arty 10), GS Branch, IHQ of MoD (Army), New Delhi – 110 011
…. Respondents
For Applicant
: Mr. Raaj Pal Chaudhary, Advocate
For Respondents
: Mr. Pyare Lal, Senior Panel Counsel
CORAM:
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE GOVERDHAN BARDHAR, MEMBER (J)
HON’BLE MR. SANJIV MITTAL, MEMBER (A)
Citations and Judicial Treatment
Cited by
0
Decisions in the index citing it
Cites
0
Decisions referred to
In this index
0
Of the decisions it cites
Overruled / Questioned
0
No negative treatment found
Loading the citing and cited decisions…
This judgment in the centre: on the left the decisions it cites, on the right the decisions citing it. Colour is the treatment; choose a decision to open it.
O R D E R
10.07.2026
1. Under Section 14 of the Armed Forces Tribunal Act 2007, the applicant had filed this OA praying for directing the Respondents to grant monetary benefits of Mention-in –Despatchawardeeds from the date of award, ie, wef 05/11/1966. She had also prayed for revision of her family pension and other benefits as per this award with all consequential benefits.
2. Brief facts of the case as enunciated by the applicant are that the husband of the applicant served in the Artillery Regiment since 19/12/1962. During his service span, he was awarded Gallantry award of ‘Mention in Dispatch’ on 05/11/1966. Unfortunately, even during his lifetime or after his demise, he was not benefited with any benefits out of this award despite numerous representations in this regard. Having been aggrieved, the applicant has filed this OA, praying for relief as prayed for.
3. Vide Reply Statement, the Respondents have stated that the husband of the applicant, late Gnr Amar Singh, was enrolled in the Regiment of Artillery on 19/2/1962 and was discharged from service on 28/2/1977 on fulfilling the conditions of his enrolment under Rule 13 (3) Item III (i). He was granted service pension for the qualifying service rendered wef 01/3/1977. Upon demise of her husband on 13/7/1998 and based on her petition dated 22/8/1998, the applicant was granted Ordinary Family Pension. While in service, Late husband of the applicant was awarded ‘Mention in Despatch’ on 05/11/1966. The Respondents have further submitted that the award of ‘Mention in Despatch’ is a non gallantry award and does not carry any monetary/pensionary benefits from the Central Govt as well as the Govt of Rajasthan, the fact of which was also communicated to the applicant by the Respondents.
4. We have heard the counsels for the parties and perused the material on record.
5. It is evident from the material on record that the husband of the applicant was a pensioner from the Army and while in service, he was awarded the Non gallantry award of, ‘Mention in Despatch’ in the year 1966. Upon the demise of husband of the applicant, the applicant was granted Ordinary Family Pension wef 14/7/1998. It is also prudent to observe that while late husband of the applicant had not raised this issue during his life time, the applicant after 16 years from the date of death of her husband, had approached the Respondents for grant of monetary benefits for an award, “Mention in Despatch’, which does not carry any monetary benefits either from the Central Govtor the Govt of Rajasthan, resulting in a frivolous and vexatious litigation.
6. During the course of hearing held on 27/5/2026, Senior Panel Counsel for the Respondents have reiterated the position in this matter in unambiguously and steadfastly that the prayer of the applicant for grant of pensionary benefits on the award of ‘Mention in Despatch’ is a non gallantry award and does not carry any meonetary/pensionary benefits from the Govt of India or from the state Govt.
7. In view of the foregoing, we find no merit in the plea of the applicant and the OA is dismissed being devoid of merit.
8. No order on costs.
(SANJIV MITTAL)
(GOVERDHAN BARDHAR) MEMBER (A)
MEMBER (J) cda/-