15A. Release on medical grounds. —(1) An officer who is found by a Medical Board to be permanently unfit for any form of military service, may be released from the service in accordance with the procedure laid down in this rule. (2) The President of the Medical Board shall, immediately after the Medical Board has come to the conclusion that the officer is permanently unfit for any form of military service, issue, a notice specifying the nature of the disease or disability he is suffering from and the finding of the Medical Board and also intimating him that in view of the finding he may be released from the service; every such notice shall also specify that the officer may, within fifteen days of the date of receipt of the notice, prefer a petition against the finding of the Medical Board to the Chief of the Army Staff through the President of the Medical Board: Provided that where in the opinion of the Medical Board the officer is suffering from a mental disease and it is either unsafe to communicate the nature of the disease or disability to the officer or the officer is unfit to look after his interests, the nature of the disease or disability shall be communicated to the officer’s next-of-kin who shall have the like right to petition. (3) If no petition is preferred within the time specified in sub-rule (2), the officer may be released from the service by an order to that effect by the Chief of the Army Staff or the Adjutant General. (4) If a petition is preferred within the time specified in sub-rule (2), it shall be forwarded to the Central Government together with the records thereof and the recommendation of the Chief of the Army Staff or the adjutant General. The Central Government may, after considering the petition and the recommendation of the Chief of the Army Staff or the Adjutant General pass such order as it deems fit.
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