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Updated November 20th, 2019 at 10:21 IST

SC asks Army to take final decision on granting PC to 8 women officers

The Indian Army has been asked to take a final decision on granting PC to 8 women by the SC against the bar on their absorption in the armed forces.

Reported by: Yash Sanghvi
SC
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The Indian Army has been given another opportunity to take a final decision on granting Permanent Commission (PC) to eight women Army officers by the Supreme Court, against the bar on their absorption in the armed forces, the lawyer appearing for women Army officers stated to ANI on Tuesday. Speaking to ANI, lawyer Aishwarya Bhatti said, "One other opportunity has been given to the Indian Army to consider granting Permanent Commission to eight women officers, who had approached the Apex court in 2010." Bhatti added that the PC would be granted for consideration by the Indian Army to those women Army officers who had approached the top court seeking a direction in this regard. 

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'We are giving you an opportunity to take credit for it'

After being apprised by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, that the issue is being already considered for giving the women Army officers the PC, the Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, stated,"We can pass an order but we are giving you an opportunity to take credit for it". ASG Jain on November 20 told the Supreme court that the central government had finally decided and agreed to grant PC, but the decision left out the women who had first approached the court in this regard. In an affidavit filed by the Union of India, it had stated that the three wings of the armed forces — Army, Navy and Air Force — and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) are actively considering the issue of parity between male and female officers in securing the PC in the Armed forces, with regard to the various pending and concluded litigations before various courts.

'A gift to the brave daughters'

The Ministry of Defence on March 6, 2019, said it has taken steps to ensure implementation of permanent commissioning of women officers in the armed forces, in line with the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2018, the PM had announced that women officers recruited under the short service commission in the armed forces will have the option of taking up a permanent commission, which he had described as a "gift" to the "brave daughters".

"The Ministry of Defence has taken steps to ensure implementation of the announcement made by the Prime Minister on August 15, 2018, regarding grant of permanent commission to women officers in the armed forces," the ministry had said in a statement. As far the Indian Air Force (IAF) is concerned, "all branches, including that of fighter pilots, are now open for women officers," it said. "In Indian Navy, all non-sea going branches/cadre/specialisation has been opened for induction of women officers through the Short Service Commission. In addition to education, law and naval constructor branch/cadre, women SSC officers have been made eligible for grant of permanent commission in the naval armament branch, at par with male officers," the statement said.

Women officers will be granted permanent commission in the Indian Army in "all the ten branches" where women are inducted for Short Service Commission, the statement said. "So, besides the existing two streams of Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Army Education Corps, now permanent commission will be granted in Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Army Air Defence, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Army Ordinance Corps and Intelligence also to women officers. "SSC women officers will give their option for the permanent commission before completion of four years of Commissioned Service, and they will exercise option for grant of permanent commission and their choice of specialisation," it added. SSC women officers will be considered for grant of permanent commission "based on suitability, merit etc and will be employed in various staff appointment," the statement said. Under SSC, officers are allowed tenures ranging from five to 14 years of services. Permanent commission allows them to serve till the age of retirement.

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(INPUTS FROM ANI)

 

 

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Published November 20th, 2019 at 09:00 IST

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