Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT)

About:

• Origin: Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) is an Indian military tribunal established in 2009 under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007.
  
  
• Benches: its Principal Bench is in New Delhi. It also has 11 regional benches (as of March 2017).
  
  
• Objective: To adjudicate complaints wrt appointments and conditions of service in respect of person’s subject to the Army Act, 1950, The Navy Act, 1957 and the Air Force Act, 1950.
  • It can further provide for appeals arising out of orders of courts- martial held under the above mentioned Acts.
    
    
  
  
  
• Composition:
  • Judicial Members are retired High Court Judges.
    
    
  • Administrative Members are retired Members of the Armed Forces who have held rank of Major General/ equivalent or above for a period of three years or more.
    
    
  
  
  
• Other key facts:
  • Proceedings are conducted as per the Armed Forces Tribunal (Procedure) rules, 2008.
    
    
  • The Tribunal will normally follow the procedure as practiced by High Courts of India.
    
    
  • Paramilitary forces including the Assam Rifles and Coast Guard are outside the tribunal's purview.