2024 INSC 815 Non- Reportable IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 6886-6887 OF 2011 Manish Kumar Rai … Appellant versus Union of India & Ors. … Respondents J U D G M E N T ABHAY S. OKA, J. FACTUAL ASPECTS 1. These appeals take exception to the judgment and order dated 27th October 2010 of the Armed Forces Tribunal, Principal Bench at New Delhi on a writ petition filed by the appellant before the Bombay High Court, which was transferred to the Armed Forces Tribunal (for short, ‘the Tribunal’). 2. The appellant was working in the post of Artificer III in the Indian Navy. The sailors employed in the Indian Navy are divided into two categories: (a) non-technical and (b) technical. Both categories have different branches. One of the technical branches is of Artificers. Artificers are of various types such as Aircraft Artificers, Electrical Artificers etc. The appellant contended that the Artificers are highly skilled technical personnel. The sailors