Manoj Kumar vs Union of India on 15 October 2026

ORDER

The applicant was discharged on 30.09.2025 as he was unwilling to continue to serve in low medical category. His medical category had been downgraded on account of disabilities (a) Stage-I Hypertension, the extent of which was assessed to be 5% for life and attributable to military service and (b) Beta Thalassemia, the extent of which was assessed to be 0% for life and neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service. Claim for grant of disability element for disability (a) has been rejected because the extent thereof is less than 20%.

Learned counsel for the applicant does not claim invalidment from service. Further, he claims grant of disability element for disability (a) only and for the same, he submits that the onset of the disability was in April 2019 and thus, Guide to Medical Officers (Military Pensions)-2023 was not applicable for assessing the same. Notice. JS Lalli, DSGI, accepts notice on behalf of the respondents and waives service and submits that identical matters are pending consideration before

OA 896 of 2026

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the Principal Bench in OA No.2787 of 2025 with MA No.3915 of 2025, Havildar Birendra Singh (Retd) & Others Vs. Union of India & others and connected cases, and that similar matters pending before other Benches have also been withdrawn to the Principal Bench. Thus, the case be adjourned sine die to await the decision of the said case.

Adjourned sine die.

To be listed after the decision of the Principal Bench in the aforesaid case.

(Lt Gen (Dr) Ranbir Singh)

(Justice Sudhir Mittal) Member (A)

Member (J)

15thOct, 2026 RR