Recently the Supreme Court of India has ordered the permanent commission to women in Indian Army
What is the permanent commission?
A Permanent Commission means a career in the Army until one retires unlike short service commission
Background:
- In 2010, Delhi High Court had held that women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers in Indian Army and Air Force should be awarded permanent commission at par with male SSC officers.
- The defence ministry had contested this ruling.
- In February 2019, the Centre had issued a notification in this regard where it allowed permanent commission to SSC women officers of Indian Army.
SC judgment on permanent commission:
- The SC has declared that SSC women officers are eligible for permanent commission and command posts in the Army irrespective of their years of service.
- The verdict came on the appeal filed by the government against the March 12, 2010 decision of the Delhi High Court.
- The court dismissed the government’s stand that only women officers with less than 14 years of service ought to be considered for permanent commission and those with over 20 years’ service should be pensioned immediately.
- Applying the judgment retrospectively, the court declared that all serving women officers would be eligible for permanent commission.
- The court found the remarks in the center’s note as constitutionally invalid and discriminatory, thus affecting the dignity of women officers.
- It countered the center’s remarks by stating that 30% of women officers were deputed in conflict zones.
- The SC bench has quoted that the members of the Indian Army – both men and women, serve as equal citizens in a common mission and women officers in the Army are not adjuncts to a male-dominated establishment.
- However, the bench has held that this judgment will not be applicable to the combat roles.
- It has ordered the government to implement its judgment in three months.
