Can the Army punish you administratively after a court martial acquittal or a time-barred offence? Army Rule 14, Section 122 limitation and key Supreme Court judgments explained.
What a court martial considers before its finding and sentence under the Army Act 1950 and Army Rules 1954, with judgments where findings and sentences were quashed by the AFT, High Courts and Supreme Court.
Kerala High Court in Union of India v. Santosh Karwade (23 Sept 2026) upholds Regulation 178(3) of Navy Regulations and allows an investigating officer to prosecute the same court martial.
Five recent decisions from the Kerala, Madras, MP and J&K High Courts and the AFT on who may act, when, and in which forum, explained for Armed Forces, CAPF and Government employees.
Cashiering is the harshest punishment an Army officer can face — expulsion with disgrace. What it means, how it differs from dismissal, when it takes effect under Rule 168 of the Army Rules 1954, and why a High Court held it can be stayed while the appeal is pending.
Rule 33 of the Army Rules, 1954 gives every person facing a court martial concrete rights: uncensored letters to his lawyer, private consultations, protected defence witnesses, the summary of evidence 96 hours in advance, and a direct remedy if kept under arrest beyond 48 days without trial. Each right explained in simple language, with the Supreme Court’s fair-trial rulings.
Termination, removal, dismissal, discharge, superannuation and retirement are six legally distinct ways military service can end — and the label on your exit order decides your pension, gratuity, reputation and future employment. Each mode explained in simple language, with the governing provisions and leading judgments.
Plea bargaining under CrPC Chapter XXIA — now BNSS Sections 289–300 — is a regulated, victim-inclusive route to reduced sentences in civilian courts. But it does not apply to courts martial, where a guilty plea carries no guaranteed discount. What the law provides, the Rule 52/115(2) safeguards, and why military justice needs reform.
Courts martial and Security Force Courts almost always award rigorous imprisonment, though Section 71(e) of the Army Act expressly permits simple imprisonment. The difference between RI and SI, why RI became the unwritten default, and why that must change.
What is double jeopardy? Article 20(2) of the Constitution, its essential conditions, its limits, and how it protects armed forces personnel after a court martial – explained simply.