Armed Forces Tribunal changes gay IAF officer's dismissal to routine discharge

In New Delhi, the Armed Forces Tribunal's principal bench, comprising Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Rasika Chaube, revised the punitive order against a non-commissioned Indian Air Force officer who disclosed his homosexuality. The officer, who served about ten and a half years, applied in 2024 for a compassionate premature discharge to settle with his partner, but the IAF instead launched a court of inquiry. The inquiry concluded he had breached discipline, posed a security risk by dating a foreign national, and traveled to Thailand and Sri Lanka without permission, leading to his dismissal earlier this year.

The officer then approached the tribunal, not to dispute the IAF's disciplinary power, but to have the dismissal recharacterized as a discharge so he could seek civilian work. The tribunal agreed that although dismissal is standard for such infractions, an exception should be made to prevent lasting career stigma. It noted that the IAF could have granted a discharge but chose dismissal under the pretext of maintaining discipline, effectively achieving the same outcome. The decision now allows the former airman to pursue employment outside the armed forces without the stigma of a dismissal.