SC junks PIL against using surgical strikes for political mileage

The Supreme Court on Friday said that armed forces were answerable to the government as it dismissed a PIL calling for a curb on the recent surgical strikes by the army being exploited for political gains.

Rejecting the contention that armed forces were answerable to the President - who is constitutionally the supreme commander - and not the government, a bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit said that the armed forces are answerable to the government, otherwise there will be a martial law in the country.

Observing that the armed forces are answerable to the government, the court dismissed the PIL by advocate M.L.Sharma holding that it lacked merit.

"This plea is not maintainable and is hence dismissed," the bench said.

Seeking action against Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Sharma had said that the credit for successful execution of surgical operations always belonged to the armed forces, "but the failed politicians shamelessly continue to draw mileage out of their sacrifices, politicizing military for their political greed".

He had sought direction prohibiting the government ministers from interfering in the defence matters in any manner "as it is exclusive belong to the President of India and neither (government nor its ministers) have any constitutional power/right to access any action of the Defence Forces".

--IANS

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