SC clears permanent commission for women in Navy

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted permanent commission for women officers in the Navy, saying "women can sail with same efficiency as male officers and there should be no discrimination."

A permanent commission entitles an officer to serve in the Navy till he/she retires unlike short service commission (SSC), which is currently for 10 years and can be extended by four more years, or a total of 14 years.

A division bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi said denying permanent commission for women amount to miscarriage of justice.

It said there cannot be gender discrimination in granting permanent commission to women officers in the Navy after the statutory bar was lifted by the Centre to allow entry of women.

"Once statutory bar was lifted to allow entry of women officers then male and female officers are to be treated equally in granting permanent commission," the court said.

The bench rejected the Centre's stand that women officers in Navy can't be granted sea duties because its Russian vessels don't have washrooms for them. There is enough documentary evidence to suggest women officers in Navy brought accolades to force, it said.

The verdict also grants pension benefits to women officers in Navy who have retired and not granted permanent commission.

(Inputs and image from theindianexpress.com)