The Army should consider giving permanent commission to women officers: SC

New Delhi, 25/3: On Thursday, the Supreme Court delivered a verdict on the petition filed for the demand of permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Army and Navy. The Supreme Court directed that the Army should consider giving permanent commission to women officers within a month and following due process, they should be given permanent commission.

Apart from this, the Supreme Court termed the medical fitness standards made for women officers for the Permanent Commission as arbitrary and irrational. The Supreme Court said that the fabric of our society has been created by men for men only. If it is not changed in time, women will not get equal opportunities as men.

While delivering the judgment, Justice DY Chandrachud of the Supreme Court said that the ceiling of 250 was not exceeded till 2010. The data that has been put on record completely collapses the benchmarking of the case. The court held that the standards adopted by the army cannot be judicially reviewed. Someone’s career in the military begins after several trials. This becomes even more difficult when society imposes responsibility for child care and domestic work on women.

The Supreme Court said that the process of maintaining a confidential record of the service should be more transparent. The process of its evaluation should be decided afresh so that no officer is discriminated against. The Supreme Court expressed displeasure over the non-permanent commission given to many women officers in the army despite their fitness, other qualifications, and conditions being met.