Discrimination in grant of PC: Women Army officers tell SC

New Delhi: The Short Service Commission (SSC) women Army officers on Thursday told the Supreme Court that they were discriminated against in the grant of permanent commission as compared to their male counterparts, despite having participated in crucial operations like in Galwan, Balakot and the recent Operation Sindoor.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh was told by serving and discharged women officers that the Centre has repeatedly violated the directions issued by the Apex Court in 2020 and in 2021.

“They have repeatedly violated the mandamus issued in 2020 and in 2021 and discriminated in the grant of permanent commission to women officers,” senior advocate V Mohana, appearing for some officers, told the bench.

Mohana said the Centre blamed the shortage of vacancies for the low intake of women officers for permanent commission, but since 2021, there have been numerous occasions when the cap of 250 officers was breached.

“These officers are very bright and performed well in their duties even in crucial operations like Galwan, Balakot and recent Operation Sindoor besides serving in several hostile areas at par with their male counterparts,” she submitted. Other women officers, who have challenged their denial of permanent commission, were represented by senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, senior advocate Abhinav Mukherjee, senior advocate Rekha Palli and other lawyers.

The arguments on behalf of women officers concluded, and the bench posted the matter for further hearing on September 24, when additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, on behalf of the Centre, will respond to the submissions.

The top court had said it would thereafter hear the pleas filed by Naval officers, followed by officers in the Air Force who have also been aggrieved by the denial of PC. On Wednesday, the top court expressed surprise over the alleged “arbitrariness” in the consideration of “criteria appointment” for women officers seeking PC as compared to male counterparts.