Armed Forces Tribunal [AFT]

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : May 16, 2022, 9:39

The military tribunal, established under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act of 2007 in India, is known as the Armed Forces Tribunal. The Parliament of India established the AFT in 2009. Its power, mandate, and functions are important as it adjudicates disputes and complaints concerning the commission, enrolments, appointments, and conditions of service for different personnel in the Indian military.

Armed Forces Tribunal [AFT] - Important Facts

The Armed Forces Tribunal is an Indian military tribunal. It is the Delhi-based principal bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal. It is a statutory body. The Armed Forces Tribunal follows the same procedure as the High Court of India.

The AFT has 10 other regional benches in each city across the country, which include:

  • Chandigarh - Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Chandigarh
  • Chennai - Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Pondicherry
  • Guwahati - North-East Region
  • Jabalpur - Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
  • Jaipur - Rajasthan
  • Jammu - Jammu and Kashmir
  • Kochi - Karnataka, Kerala, and Lakshadweep
  • Kolkata - Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, and U.T. of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
  • Lucknow - Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand
  • Mumbai - Gujarat and Maharashtra

Only a retired High Court Chief Justice or a Supreme Court judge can become the Chairperson of the AFT.

When Was the AFT Established?

The Indian Parliament established the Armed Forces Tribunal on 8th August 2009.

Who Can Appeal Before the AFT?

An aggrieved individual can appeal before the AFT by the court-martial order, finding, or decision.

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Armed Forces Tribunal [AFT] Composition

The Armed Forces Tribunal consists of a Chairperson, Judicial Members, and Administrative Members. The post of Judicial Member is only available for retired High Court Judges.

The qualification for Administrative Member is either a retired member of the Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces.

The current Chairperson of AFT is Justice Rajendra Menon, and other Members are Lt. Gen. Phillip Compose, Justice Mr Sunil Gupta, Lt. Gen. PM Hariz, and Air Marshal BBP Sinha.

Powers of Armed Forces Tribunal [AFT]

Armed Forces Tribunal jurisdiction power involves granting bail to an accused person in military custody. The first Armed Forces Tribunal judgment was dated 14th September 2016.

AFT has the power to take actions such as mitigating the awarded punishment or suspending the sentence of imprisonment over the court-martial order. Armed Forces Tribunal case status is pending due to a shortage of members on AFT benches.

What is the AFTPBBA?

AFTPBBA stands for Armed Forces Tribunal (Provisional Bench) Bar Association. A.K. Trivedi is the President, and Brig JS Yadav is the Vice President of the AFTPBBA. Mohan Kumar is Treasurer, Rajiv Manglik is Secretary, and Ankur Chhibber is Joint Secretary of AFTPBBA. It also has six executive members.

The Parliament passed the Armed Forces Tribunal Act of 2007 that led to the AFT, which has the power to adjudicate disputes and complaints regarding service issues in respect of persons subject to the Air Force Act and the Army Act of 1950, and the Navy Act of 1957.

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FAQs on Armed Forces Tribunal [AFT]

Q1) Who is the President of the Armed Forces Tribunal (Provisional Bench) Bar Association (AFTPBBA)?

Mr A.K. Trivedi is the President of the Armed Forces Tribunal (Provisional Bench) Bar Association (AFTPBBA).

Q2) When Was the Armed Forces Tribunal established?

The Indian Parliament established the Armed Forces Tribunal on 8th August 2009.

Q3) What is the power of the Armed Forces Tribunal?

Armed Forces Tribunal jurisdiction power involves granting bail to an accused person in military custody.

Q4) What is the composition of the Armed Forces Tribunal?

The Armed Forces Tribunal consists of a Chairperson, Judicial Members, and Administrative Members.

Q5) What is the Armed Forces Tribunal?

The military tribunal, established under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act of 2007 in India, is known as the Armed Forces Tribunal. The Parliament of India established AFT in 2009.