Thu Jan 02 04:31:44 UTC 2025: ## Delhi High Court Orders Centre to Grant Disability Pension to Ex-Coast Guard Personnel
**New Delhi, January 2, 2025** – The Delhi High Court has directed the Indian government to grant a disability pension to a former Coast Guard personnel, Pravindera Sharma, upholding the recommendation of a Medical Board. Sharma, who served as an Uttam Navik (ME) until his medical discharge in August 2013, suffers from Recurrent Depressive Disorder (40% disability, not service-related) and Lumbago (20% disability, service-related).
The Medical Board assessed Sharma’s overall disability at 50% and recommended a disability pension based on the service-related Lumbago. However, the government denied the pension, citing that neither illness was included in the Central Civil Services (Extra Ordinary Pension) Rules.
The High Court ruled that the government’s decision disregarded the Medical Board’s assessment. Justice [Justice’s name not provided in source text] stated that courts should be guided by Medical Board opinions when determining service-relatedness of illnesses. The court noted that Sharma was healthy upon enlistment and that his depressive disorder was diagnosed years after his service began.
The court criticized the government for a “mechanical” denial of the pension, ignoring its own Medical Board’s recommendation. The High Court ordered the immediate grant of a disability pension to Sharma, reflecting the 50% disability assessment.
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