In a progressive development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday paved the way for the Grant of Permanent Commission for women officers in the Indian Navy. The top court said that objecting to a permanent commission for women in the Indian Navy will be gender stereotyping and that there should be no discrimination between men and women on the issue of grant of permanent commission in the Navy.
The Bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud upheld the Delhi High Court order of granting permanent commission to women officers and rejected the Union government’s plea referring to the physiological limitations of women officers in granting a permanent commission marking it as a reflection of gender stereotyping on the part of the government.
The bench ruled that “women officers can sail with the same efficiency as their male counterparts and there should be no discrimination. Denying women officers an opportunity for the permanent commission would result in a serious miscarriage of justice to those SSC women officers who have served the nation.”
The court ruled that the application of permanent commission-based will be considered based on the availability of vacancies and recommendations of Chief of naval staff.
The women officers whose Short Service Commission (SSC) came to an end before 2008 would be deemed to have been considered for Permanent Commission as a one-time measure. Rest, all the service of women officers who are not in service and those who are denied permanent commission shall be deemed pensionable service.
The Bench added that women officers in the Commodore position shall be entitled pensionary benefits and Rs 25 lakh compensation each.
The Court order came as a result of the petition of Union Government against the Delhi High court 2015 order of granting the permanent commission to women officers.
In February this year, the top court had ordered the centre to grant permanent commission to women in the Army and directed to comply with the ruling within three months.
A Permanent Commission entitles an officer to serve in Navy/Army till he/she retires unlike Short Service Commissions (SSC) which is currently of 10 years and will be extended to four more years.
