New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) With the aim to bring in more transparency and fair play in Court of Inquiry proceedings conducted after the death, injury, or disability of a paramilitary force personnel, the Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Assam Rifles to include one more doctor from the other forces in the court.
A recent order sent by the MHA’s Police Division to all para-military forces said that this will be mandatory for a CoI while deciding the admissibility of extraordinary/ disability pension and grant of ex-gratia compensation in case of death.
“A Medical Officer from outside (from any other CAPF) should be nominated by the force, while constituting the Col, ADG (Medical) may nominate a Medical Officer from any other CAPFs, on receiving the request from the concerned force,” the order said.
It also said that the medical opinion of the nominated Medical Officer should be incorporated in the recommendations of the CoI Board as well as in the final order passed by the competent authority thereon.
The Ministry also said that above instructions will be applicable subject to the provisions of the notified Act or Rules of the Forces. “Wherever these instructions are repugnant to the extant provisions of the relevant Act/Rules of the force concerned, the latter shall prevail,” it said.
Welcoming the decision, CAPF sources said that inclusion of an additional Medical Officer from other forces will prevent favouritism or biasness while deciding the extraordinary or disability pension.
In some cases, the CAPF personnel, who were severely injured on the line of duty, had expressed displeasure about the compensation or disability pensions, officials said, adding that this will bring in transparency in deciding the admissibility of disability pension and ex-gratia compensation in case of death.
–IANS
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