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17. Counsel on both sides of the Bar have made extensive arguments on the provenance, origin, nature and need for holding SCMs. We have seen further that even though India is a Republic, the rights of Army personnel remain emasculated to a substantial and significant extent. Personnel of the Armed Forces are entitled as much as any other citizen to the protection of the Constitution of India. The Supreme Court had observed over thirty years ago and reiterated regularly thereafter (yet regretfully unheeded by the Respondents) that service in the Armed Forces can no longer be viewed as a support or adjunct of the Rulers. We cannot do better than to reproduce the following extract from the decision in Lt. Col. Prithi Pal Singh Bedi: