No, civilians cannot file a case before the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT). The AFT is established primarily to deal with disputes and grievances of members of the Armed Forces and has jurisdiction only over matters related to the Armed Forces of India. As per the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007, the AFT has jurisdiction over all officers, junior commissioned officers, and other ranks of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. It also has jurisdiction over retired personnel of the Armed Forces and their dependents. However, it does not have jurisdiction over civilians, and hence, they cannot file a case before the AFT. If a civilian has a complaint or grievance related to the Armed Forces, they can approach the appropriate civilian court or tribunal. For example, if a civilian has a complaint related to the procurement of goods or services by the Armed Forces, they can approach the Competition Commission of India. Similarly, if a civilian has a complaint related to the violation of their fundamental rights by the Armed Forces, they can approach the High Court or the Supreme Court of India. In short, civilians do not have any locus standi before the AFT, and the tribunal is primarily meant for the redressal of disputes and grievances of members of the Armed Forces.
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