TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to grant permanent commission to all women officers in the army within three months, terming the Centre’s argument of physiological limitations and social norms for denying them command posts “disturbing”. A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said there will not be any absolute bar on giving them command postings.
It said women officers in the past have brought laurels to the country and change of mindset is required on the part of the government to put an end to gender bias in armed forces. The top court said despite there being no stay on the 2010 Delhi high court verdict allowing grant of permanent commission to women officers, the Centre showed scant regard in implementing the directive in past one decade.
It
said engagement of women officers in the army has been an evolutionary process
and the Union of India should have acted in accordance with the Delhi High
Court judgment when there was no stay on it. “There is no reason and
justification for the union of India not to act as per the Delhi High Court
verdict. On September 2, 2011, the Supreme Court has clarified this aspect and
said there is no stay on the high court verdict. Despite that scant regard has
been paid to the verdict of Delhi High Court and the order of Supreme Court as
well,” the bench said.
