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‘SC ruling on permanent commission for women officers very enabling’: Army Chief
The apex court, in a landmark verdict, ordered the government to consider women for command roles in the army, rejecting the Centre’s push for limiting the roles that women officers should be allowed to perform in the armed forces.
Army chief Gen MM Naravane on Thursday said that the Indian Army does not discriminate on the basis of gender and the Supreme Court ruling on permanent commissioning of women was very enabling. He added that the force has made a road map to implement the apex court order.
“Indian Army does not discriminate any soldier based on religion, caste, creed, or even gender. The outlook of the Indian Army has been throughout like this and that is why we started inducting women officers as early as in 1993,” Gen Naravane told reporters in New Delhi.
The army chief’s remarks came days after the apex court in a landmark verdict ordered the government to extend permanent service - which has only been applicable to men so far - to all women officers, signalling a move towards gender parity in the traditionally male bastion.
The court also ordered the government to consider women for command roles in the army, rejecting the Centre’s push for limiting the roles that women officers should be allowed to perform in the armed forces.
“Our first task at hand is to comply with the SC order and we have made a road map to implement it,” Gen Naravane said on Thursday.
Hailing the verdict as “enabling”, he said, “The Supreme Court’s decision is a welcome one as it brings out a sense of clarity and purpose to gainfully employ officers for better efficiency of the organisation. I must assure that everybody in the Indian Army including women officers will be given equal opportunity to contribute to the nation as also progress in their careers.”
Indian Army has taken the initiative to induct women in rank and file, and the first batch of 100 women soldiers is undergoing training at Corps of Military Police Centre and School, Gen Naravane said. He added that letters are being sent to women officers asking whether they will prefer permanent commissioning.
In its 54-page verdict on February 17, the Supreme Court severely criticised the government for its stand that it ruled, perpetuated “gender stereotypes”, was “disturbing” and treated women as the “weaker sex”.
Politicians cutting across the party lines welcomed the Supreme Court judgment on permanent commission (PC) for women in the army. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said the government was committed to strengthening “stree shakti” (women power) in the military. He added that the percentage of women in the armed forces has grown over the last three years.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
