Functioning of Armed Forces Tribunal

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2541

ANSWERED ON: 17.03.2017

K. MARAGATHAM 

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether various posts in Armed Forces Tribunal are lying vacant for a long time;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether only five benches out of seventeen benches of the tribunal are functional as the vacancies remained unfilled; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE) IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(a) & (b): Fifteen posts of Members (Judicial and Administrative) are vacant. Apart from this, 217 posts of Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ employees are also vacant in various Benches of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT). The filling up of vacancies is a continuous process which involves various Government agencies and strict adherence to laid down procedures. Also, sometimes the non-acceptance of offer of appointment by the selected candidate(s) also delays the process of filling up of vacancies.

(c) & (d): No, Madam. There are eleven Benches of Armed Forces Tribunal and seventeen courts working under those Benches. The Benches where vacancies remain unfilled are made functional by transferring Members from other Benches and by holding Circuit Benches from time to time. Besides, action for filling up of the vacancies of the Armed Forces Tribunal is a continuous process. The Ministry has taken action for filling up of existing vacancies and also the anticipated vacancies upto 30.06.2017. As regards, post of Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ employees, the Principal Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal takes action to fill up the same as and when they fall vacant by circulating / advertising the vacancies in Newspaper / uploading on websites of the Armed Forces Tribunal.

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