'Their morale should not be lowered in the current situation', why did the Supreme Court say this about women military officers?

News Topical, Digital Desk : The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Center not to release from service those Short Service Commission (SSC) women military officers who have challenged the decision to deny them permanent commission (PC). The court said that "their morale should not be lowered in the current situation". A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotishwar Singh listed the petitions filed by 69 officers for hearing in August and said that they should not be released from service till the next hearing.

Justice Chandrakant said, "In the current situation, we should not demoralize them. They are talented officers, you can take their services elsewhere. This is not the time to ask them to wander here and there in the Supreme Court."

'Army needs young officers'

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said it was an administrative decision based on the policy of keeping the armed forces young. Urging the apex court not to stay their release, she said the Indian Army needs young officers and only 250 personnel are to be granted permanent commission every year.

Colonel Sofia Qureshi was mentioned

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for Col Geeta Sharma, referred to the case of Col Sofia Qureshi, one of the two women officers who had briefed the media about 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7 and 8. Guruswamy said Col Qureshi had to approach this court for similar relief related to permanent commission and now she has made the country proud.

What did the Supreme Court say?

The bench said that the matter before the apex court is purely legal and has nothing to do with the achievements of the officers. On February 17, 2020, the apex court had said that the move to completely exclude women from all posts except staff appointments in the army cannot be defended and the move to not consider them for command appointments without any justification cannot be sustained under the law.

The court had allowed permanent commission to women officers in the army and termed the government's argument that it was not giving appointment to the command headquarters citing physical limitations and social practice as disturbing and contrary to the principle of equality. The court had then said that women officers in the past have brought glory to the country and a change in the mindset of the government is necessary to end discrimination on the basis of gender in the armed forces. Since the 2020 verdict, the apex court has passed several orders on the issue of permanent commission to women officers in the armed forces and similar orders were passed in the case of the Navy, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard.

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