India, April 16 -- Three decades after he was dismissed from service in what the Supreme Court has now found to be an unsustainable exercise of power, a former Indian Air Force officer will finally receive the dignity of a formal farewell.

In a rare order, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed that the septuagenarian be given a formal ceremonial send-off, declaring that for a soldier, "restoration of honour remains the foremost concern."

A bench of justices Dipankar Datta and KV Viswanathan set aside former squadron leader R Sood's 1993 dismissal, holding that the decision-making process was flawed and legally untenable. "We restore it with the direction that on a date to be fixed by the Chief of Air Staff, the appellant shall be sign...