Justice Rajendra Menon to be next Chairperson of the Armed Forces Tribunal

Justice Rajendra Menon has been recommended by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi as the Chairperson of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT). Justice Rajendra Menon is the former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.

CJI Ranjan Gogoi informed this by a suo-moto petition about the appointment of judicial members in Armed Forces Tribunal. The current Chairperson Justice Virender Singh is retiring on October 6. The provisions of Finance Act related to the appointment procedure to members of Tribunals is under challenge and that appointments will be delayed until the matter is decided.

Armed Forces Tribunal

• The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) was established in 2009 under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act 2007 at New Delhi.
• The AFT has a power of adjudication or trial of disputes and complaints with respect to appointments, commission, enrolments and conditions of services.
• It has a principal bench at New Delhi while regional benches have been established at Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Chennai and Guwahati.
• Retired High Court Judges are judicial members of the AFT.
• A judge Advocate General (JAG), who has held the appointment for at least one year are also entitled to be appointed as the Administrative Member.
• A white shirt, collar band and a black coat/ jacket is the dress as mandated for the officials of the Tribunal including the bar.

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