Supreme Court Pulls Up Centre Over Permanent Commission To Women Army Officers

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Indian Army to take a decision on granting permanent commission to eight women officers who had originally filed a petition against the bar on their absorption in the armed forces. The court said it can pass an order in the matter but it wanted the Army to take credit for it, according to Hindustan Times.

The eight women officers had approached the Supreme Court in 2010 against the bar on their absorption in the armed forces. After nine years, the government finally accepted their proposal to grant permanent commission to women, but left out the eight women petitioners who had approached the apex court in the first place.

On Tuesday, the Army told the court that a decision has been taken to grant permanent commission to women officers in the 10 branches of the Indian Army. To this, a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud said: "We can pass an order but we are giving you an opportunity to take credit for it."

The top court was later informed about the reports that the new policy will come into effect for women officers from April 2020. Aishwarya Bhati, the lawyer of women officers, told the court that this means that the decision to grant permanent commission to women officers will leave out the women who fought the gender bias in the forces.

The Supreme Court in response asked the Centre's law officer to come back with a "positive response" by next Thursday.

The government had approached the top court after the Delhi High Court in 2010 ordered it to give women Army officers on short service commission a permanent commission.

In April, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it was considering granting permanent commission to short service commission women Army officers.

The group of women Army officers recruited under SSC scheme had approached courts seeking PC status.

On August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that women officers recruited under the short service commission in the armed forces will have the option of taking up permanent commission, which he described as a "gift" to the "brave daughters". Modi made the policy announcement while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day.