A division bench comprising Justice S P Bharucha and Justice M Srinivasan admitted the petition filed by the Confederation of Ex-Servicemen Associations and directed posting of the matter before a five judge constitution bench.

The petitioners contended that while the Central Government employees enjoyed full medical coverage after retirement, the ex-servicemen were completely at the mercy of military hospitals which were inadequately equipped to deal with large number of ex-servicemen and their family members.