India, July 29 -- Personnel from the Indian Air Force (IAF) do not possess an "unqualified right" to leave the service at their will to join civil jobs, the Supreme Court said in a significant verdict on Wednesday.

Upholding the rules of the Air Force, the court said that seeking prior approval for leaving is not just a simple procedural requirement which could be dispensed with, PTI news agency reported.

A bench comprising justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Atul S Chandurkar was hearing an appeal filed by Nakhat Singh, a Corporal in the IAF. The bench noted that strict adherence to the Air Force's procedural requirements for seeking prior permission is mandatory for maintaining operational preparedness. The apex court had, in 2019 too, upheld t...