On Monday, the Centre has implemented its verdict to consider granting permanent commission to women officers in the Army, saying, “it is the victory of our nation that women aspire to achieve the highest pedestal”, the Apex court expressed the happiness.
On February 17 the Supreme Court in its landmark verdict asked the Centre to consider all serving Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers for permanent commission irrespective of them having crossed 14 years or, as the case may be, twenty years of service.
Bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra & Indira Banerjee made the observations.
Senior advocate R Balasubramanian who happened to be a lawyer for the Centre in the matter related to grant of permanent commission to women officers.
The judgement has been implemented & nearly 70% women officers have received the permanent commission, Balasubramanian said.
“It is the victory of our nation that women aspire to achieve the highest pedestal.” Justice Chandrachud who authored the verdict said.
Adding that nearly 450 women officers have got the permanent commission, Judge said “It is a great feeling even for us as judges“,.
To grant permanent commission to SSC women officers in all the ten streams in the Indian Army, the SC had accepted the Centre’s policy of Feb 25, 2019.
The Apex Court had said SSC women officers with over 20 years of service who are not granted PC shall retire on pension in terms of policy decision.
Indian Army has sanctioned 50,266 posts for officers, while the posts currently occupied are 40,825 including 1,653 by women officers, it noted.
It had noted that there is a shortage of 9,441 officers in the Indian Army.
