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557 women officers granted Permanent Commission since landmark SC order: Govt in Rajya Sabha
The government told Parliament that 557 short service commission women officers have been granted permanent commission in the Indian Army after the Supreme Court passed an order on February 17, 2020.
The government on Monday told Parliament that 557 short service commission women officers have been granted permanent commission in the Indian Army after the Supreme Court passed an order on February 17, 2020.
There has been no delay in granting permanent commission to any woman officer, junior defence minister Ajay Bhatt said in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
“Sixty three eligible women officers have been granted permanent commission” as on November 25, 2021, in line with the Supreme Court judgment, he said, referring to a November 12 order by the apex court.
The Supreme Court on November 12 spared the army of contempt proceedings after the force changed its position on denying permanent commission to 72 women short service commission officers, agreeing to grant it to all women officers who have qualified on merit and have no disciplinary or vigilance clearance pending against them.
Of the 72 women officers, 36 filed contempt petitions earlier this month in the top court that were taken up for hearing by a bench of justices Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and AS Bopanna. These petitions said the Indian Army was in contempt of the apex court’s March 25 order that said all women short service commission officers who qualify with 60% merit, are medically fit, and have secured disciplinary and vigilance clearance, are to be granted permanent commission.
In all, 514 women qualified on the basis of the 60% benchmark, of which 442 were given permanent commission; the other 72 were denied this by the selection board that met in September 2020. One officer opted for premature release from service, reducing the number to 71.
On November 12, the defence ministry submitted an affidavit stating that out of 36 officers, 21 have since been granted permanent commission upon review and letters in this regard were issued to them on October 29. The case of one officer was under consideration, leaving 14. Of this, the affidavit added, three were found to be medically unfit, while there were serious objections against 11 others.
After some prodding from the court, it agreed to grant permanent commission to these 11, and also consider similarly the case of the 36 others who did not file a contempt petition.
The women short service commission officers secured their right to permanent commission and command positions in non-combat streams at par with male officers after a prolonged legal battle culminating in the Supreme Court order on February 17, 2020.
The women officers again came to the court in September 2020, complaining against the whimsical standards on merit, medical fitness applied by Selection Board to deny them their due. This resulted in the March 25 order.
