Supreme Court has given interim relief to about 60 women military officers who are denied permanent commission on medical and merit basis, asking the government not to exempt them from service till January 18. On January 18, the court will hear the petition of these officers against not getting a permanent commission.
In fact, 615 women officers applied for a permanent commission. Of these, 422 were selected on the basis of merit but only 277 were considered fit on medical grounds. Significantly, after a long legal battle, on February 17, the Supreme Court had asked to give permanent commission to women military officers in the army.
Around 60 women officers have challenged the selection board norms. Based on the decision of the board in the petition, a request was made to direct the army to stop taking any action. He says that merit is ambiguous and has not been defined.
On December 18, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Justice Indu Malhotra and Justice Indira Banerjee sought to know from the Army and Ministry of Defense whether there is a plan to take any action before the hearing on the petition in January? The army and the ministry said, “There is no such plan at the moment.” The court postponed the hearing till January 18 after being assured that the officers would not be prosecuted for the time being.
