Disability pension cases are not just about paperwork. They are about dignity, service, health and the right of a soldier or officer to receive what the law has recognised. When a veteran fights for disability pension, wins relief before a judicial forum, and still has to return to court for implementation, the issue becomes much bigger than one individual case.
A recent order reported from the Punjab and Haryana High Court has again brought this question into focus. According to The Tribune, the High Court imposed a cost of ₹2 lakh on Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi in a disability pension delay matter involving Major Rajdeep Dinkar Pandere (Retd). The report says the amount was directed to be deducted equally from the salaries of the two respondents and paid to the petitioner through a demand draft.
This is not an ordinary development. Courts usually expect government departments to comply with final orders in a timely manner. When a case reaches contempt proceedings, it means the petitioner is alleging that even after a judicial direction, the benefit has not been implemented. For veterans and pensioners, such delays are deeply painful because pension is often linked to daily life, medical expenses and family security.
The reported facts show why the case became serious. Major Pandere was commissioned in the Army on 15 September 2012. According to The Tribune, he was posted with 4 Ladakh Scouts in Leh and had field, peace, special action group and high-altitude postings. In June 2017, he developed a medical problem while on military duty and was diagnosed with cystitis cystica glandularis at the Delhi Cantonment Base Hospital.
The case then moved through the medical and pension process. Reports state that Major Pandere underwent surgery, was placed in low medical category in September 2017, and later appeared before multiple medical boards. He was eventually recommended for release in low medical category. However, his disability was assessed at 15% for life and declared neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service, reportedly without reasons being cited. He was released from the Army on 14 September 2022 after 10 years of service, and his request for disability pension was rejected in November 2022.
For any veteran, this is where the real struggle begins. A medical condition may be linked with service, but the official assessment may deny attribution or aggravation. If the veteran disagrees, the matter moves to legal forums. In this case, the Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal examined the matter. The Tribune reported that the AFT noted that Major Pandere had been examined several times by medical boards, had undergone repeated operations, and that the disability had been found attributable to military service each time.
The AFT reportedly held that under the Guide to Medical Officers (Military Pensions), 2008, the disability percentage should be considered 40%, and that Major Pandere was entitled to disability pension. The disability was rounded off from 40% to 50% for life, effective from 1 July 2022, as per Supreme Court guidelines reported in the case coverage.
The government challenged the Tribunal’s order, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the writ petition on 28 July 2025. According to Hindustan Times, the High Court stated that Major Pandere’s entitlement to disability pension “cannot be doubted.”
At this stage, one would expect implementation. But the reported problem was that the pension still did not reach the petitioner. Hindustan Times reported that after the authorities failed to implement the order, Major Pandere again approached the High Court, and later filed a contempt plea against the Defence Secretary and the Army Chief. His counsel argued that more than two months had passed, but there was no compliance, no payment and no pension order.
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