Supreme Court orders reinstatement of former IAF officer Priyanka Saxena

The Supreme Court of India has ordered the reinstatement of former Indian Air Force (IAF) Squadron Leader Priyanka Saxena, invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure complete justice. The court's decision comes after Saxena, a former Short Service Commissioned officer, sought to rejoin the force following the death of her husband, Wing Commander Harshit Sinha, in a MiG-21 Bison crash in December 2021.

Saxena originally completed her ten-year tenure in the Logistics Branch in 2013, opting not to seek an extension at that time due to family commitments. Following her husband's death, she applied for reinstatement, but the IAF rejected her request, citing government policy and the fact that she had exceeded the maximum age of 35 years prescribed for such inductions.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant set aside previous orders from the Armed Forces Tribunal. The Court characterized the situation as “very peculiar” and specified that this ruling is intended to address her individual circumstances and should not be treated as a legal precedent.