Navy challenges Delhi HC order in Apex Court

The Indian Navy on Monday filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court challenging a recent order of the Delhi High Court asking it to grant permanent commission to 17 women officers who had retired after their Short Service Commission ended in 2006.

The petition was filed hours after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the Navy would challenge the order.

The Delhi High Court had on September 4 allowed a batch of petitions seeking permanent commission for them in the force, saying “sexist bias and service bias” would not be allowed to block progress of women. The court, while granting their plea, said the “women are here to stay” and since they “work shoulder-to-shoulder” with their male counterparts, it would “frown upon any endeavour to restrain the progress of women”. Parrikar said that in 2008, the Navy had opened its doors in Short Service Commission for granting permanent commission to women along with men.

He said that permanent commission for SSC was not an option for men also prior to 2008. “There is no gender bias. In 2008, the Navy granted SSC to be changed to permanent commission to women in three streams – education, law and naval constructions.