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No Fear No Favour

Supreme Court grants permanent commission women in the Indian Navy.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ordered that the government cannot discriminate against women in the Indian Navy, granting permanent commission to female officers. The apex court said men and women should be treated equally in the armed forces.

The judgment of the court comes a month after it had allowed granting permanent commission to women in the Indian Army.

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud pronounced the judgment, directing the Centre to grant permanent commission to serving women officers in the Navy in three months with increments. The order was passed after the court scrapped the statutory bar for inducting women.

“They (women) can sail with the same efficiency as male officers,” said the bench, which also comprised Justice Hemant Gupta.

Under the Short Service Commission (SSC), women’s naval officers retire in 10 years. If the permanent commission is granted, women officers will be entitled to serve for four more years, totaling to 14 years.

In February, the SC had upheld a 2010 Delhi High Court ruling, which directed the Centre to ensure that women are given a permanent commission in the Indian Army on par with male officers, including a command posting.

The bench headed by Justice Chandrachud had condemned the Centre as the latter waited for nine years before granting women permanent commissions, that too in limited streams.

“To cast aspersions on the ability of women and their role and achievements in the Army is an insult not only to women but also to the Indian Army,” the bench said.

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