The Delhi High Court recently ordered the Center and other agencies to make a decision within six weeks on extending housing rents to paramilitary personnel, HRA will be same regarding all military personnel, regardless of rank, according to their qualifications.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Saurabh Banerjee’s Bench stated that the Center and other authorities were not allowed to take discriminatory stances against “various military personnel stationed in common areas to grant HRAs.” Bench said in his Dec. 16 observed, We do not understand why such political decisions that discriminate within the Force should continue to be allowed, especially for Force officers who give their lives for their nation.

The Supreme Court has dealt with a number of petitions filed by Group A officers of the Border Guard Force (BSF). They said that notwithstanding the construction of family housing, government housing was provided to petitioners and other officials where they were stationed or where another family housing was built. They said staff in a similar situation to the petitioners had trouble keeping their families where they were placed as a result. Especially in difficult areas with borders and lack of basic education and health care.

Nonetheless, no government housing was provided to petitioners or other like-minded individuals, nor was payment by the HRA to place families elsewhere. Upon filing a declaration with the relevant authorities under the law, it was recommended that uniformed service members be allowed to keep their family members anywhere, for which an HRA would be paid. However, they were told that this was limited to PBOR and was rejected by Group A officials.

After considering the recommendations of the 7th Salary Committee, the HC acknowledged the services of the uniformed service in relation to the HRA and agreed that these officers must remain on site far away from all necessary facilities.

The Delhi High Court overturned the MHA’s order, stating that “defendants are not permitted to take discriminatory attitudes towards personnel of various armed forces deployed in common areas for the purpose of granting HRAs.”