Let's dive into a twisty courtroom tale about Lt Col Sandeep Kumar and his quest for promotion. Here's what went down.
Lt Col Sandeep Kumar was not happy when he wasn't promoted to Colonel back in 2020. He felt the Selection Board didn't give him a fair chance, especially with the "Value Judgment" marks they used. So, he took his case to the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).
On November 11, 2024, the AFT sided with Sandeep. They said the marks he got were unfair and ordered that he should be promoted with his 2004 batch, giving him seniority and other benefits.
"The Value Judgment marks... were not acceptable."
The Union of India wasn't happy with the AFT's decision. They went to the Delhi High Court, challenging the ruling. They wanted another look at the whole situation.
While the case was pending, the Supreme Court got involved. They asked the Delhi High Court to handle the case quickly. So, on November 20, 2025, the court got to it.
Judges C. Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla came up with a plan:
Reassessment: Sandeep's case would be looked at again by a Selection Board in March-April 2026, without those annoying Value Judgment marks.
Age Waiver: They'd also think about ignoring the age requirement, based on some earlier court rulings.
Backdated Promotion: If found suitable, his promotion would be backdated to September 2021.
Right to Appeal: If Sandeep still felt wronged, he could challenge the decision again.
"The respondent would also be entitled for consideration of waiver of the age requirement..."
The court wrapped up the case, and now it's up to the Selection Board to decide Sandeep's future. If things don't go his way, he still has options to fight back.
So, that's the scoop on Lt Col Sandeep Kumar's courtroom journey.
