Armed forces are answerable to government, or there would be martial law, Supreme Court says

NEW DELHI: Armed forces are answerable to the government, otherwise there will be martial law in the country, the Supreme Court said today.

A bench of Justices Amitava Roy and U U Lalit made this observation as it dismissed a plea seeking action against Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for allegedly interfering and claiming credit for the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army in PoK.

"This plea is not maintainable and is hence dismissed. Armed forces are answerable to the government, otherwise you will have martial law in this country. We don't see any merit in the plea," the bench said.

Advocate M L Sharma, who had filed the plea, said that Union Ministers including the Defence Minister had been claiming credit for the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army, for which they are not entitled to because as per the provisions of the Constitution, the President is the head of the armed forces.

He alleged that the armed forces' action was being used for the personal interests of a few.

Sharma sought that prosecution be initiated against those who tried to interfere and claim credit for the operations carried out by the armed forces.

To this, the bench said "what is the personal interest in this? Armed forces are answerable to the government."

The court said the plea was not maintainable and hence dismissed.