Armed Forces Tribunal chairperson inaugurates virtual hearings for its regional benches

"Justice Rajendra Menon has inaugurated hearings by video-conferencing for all 10 regional benches of the Armed Forces Tribunal here today," it stated. For a total of 11 benches of the AFT, including the principal bench in Delhi, 34 judicial and administrative members have been sanctioned by the government.

Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Chairperson Justice Rajendra Menon inaugurated virtual hearings for all its 10 regional benches on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence said here. In a statement, the ministry said the Delhi-based principal bench of the AFT is the "only court that has been conducting physical hearings since June 8, 2020".

"Even though urgent applications of regional benches were being heard at the principal bench, the requirement was felt to devise a procedure for hearing other matters of regional benches as well," it said. Accordingly, a viable procedure for virtual hearings has been initiated, it added.

With this provision of hearing by video-conferencing, an immense relief has been brought to the armed forces personnel, whose applications are awaiting justice at various regional benches, the ministry noted. "Justice Rajendra Menon has inaugurated hearings by video-conferencing for all 10 regional benches of the Armed Forces Tribunal here today," it stated.

For a total of 11 benches of the AFT, including the principal bench in Delhi, 34 judicial and administrative members have been sanctioned by the government. "However, only four members are presently in the chair at the principal bench, one judicial member and two administrative members are in the chair at Chandigarh, Mumbai and Chennai benches respectively," the ministry said.