New Delhi, April 28, 2005 (Agencies)

Government is considering a proposal to establish an Armed Forces Tribunal to deal with service matters and appeals arising out of the verdicts of the courts martial concerning the three services.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said this in the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.

To another question, he said a Group of Ministers has been constituted to look into the issue of 'one rank one pension' formula anomaly and to bring parity to pension.

Recruitment: Government has decided to raise the minimum age for recruitment of Soldier (General Duty) to 17.5 years keeping in view the decision of the State Parties to the UN Protocol on 'Convention on the Rights of the Child' of which India is a member, Mukherjee said.