Women commission in Army: SC grants one more month to Centre to comply with its order

The apex court on Tuesday granted one more month to the Centre to implement its verdict directing that permanent commission be given to all serving SSC women officers in the Army. The Centre had earlier asked the Supreme Court for 6 more months of time to implement the same, citing coronavirus as the reason for delay.

New Delhi:A Supreme Court bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud on Tuesday granted one more month to the central government to implement its verdict on giving permanent command posts to eligible women officers in the Indian Army, irrespective of their years of service.

The order came in response to the central government's plea which sought six more months of time to implement the top court's judgement citing coronavirus as the reason for delay.

Ministry of Defence informed the court that the decision is at the final stage and only formal orders remain to be issued. The court accepted the Centre's appeal and asked it to ensure that its orders are complied with on time.

In a landmark verdict on February 17, the top court had directed that women officers in the Army be granted permanent commission and command postings, rejecting the Centre's stand of their physiological limitations as being based on 'sex stereotypes' and 'gender discrimination against women'.

It had directed the Centre that within three months, all serving Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers have to be considered for Permanent Commission (PC) irrespective of them having crossed 14 years or, as the case may be, 20 years of service.

READ:|Centre seeks 6 months more to give permanent commission to women in army

It had said that the question of combat posting of women officers is a policy decision and was not dealt by the Delhi High Court in its 2010 verdict.

The top court accepted the Centre's policy of February 25, 2019, to grant PC to SSC women officers in all the 10 streams in the Indian Army.

Despite this policy, the Centre's stand in a matter before the top court was that provisions of Army Act contemplate that women will be eligible for enrolment only in those segments which the government permits.

The top court had said that women officers have got numerous commendation certificates and laurels and their track record of service to the nation is beyond reproach.

The top court had noted that the Indian Army has sanctioned 50,266 posts for officers, while the posts currently occupied are 40,825 including 1,653 by women officers. It had noted that there is a shortage of 9,441 officers in the Indian Army.

There are a total of 1,653 women officers which is a minuscule 4 per cent of the total strength of commissioned officers in the Army, it had said.

The total of 1,653 officers includes -- 77 having above 20 years of service, 255 having service tenure between 14 and 20 years and the fate of 322 women officers was to be decided by the verdict of the apex court.

Inputs from PTI