The Supreme Court has taken a note of the defiance by Indian Army to the orders by the top court related to entitlements of women officers towards promotions and empanelment to Colonel rank.
A bench comprising of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud with Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra said that women Army officers were compelled to for approaching Court in this regard despite earlier orders in their favour.
It, thus, directed the concerned selection board to reconvene and conduct a fresh empanelment exercise within a fortnight, without disturbing those already promoted to Colonel rank.
“The bench said that the attitude of the army to defy the orders of the court and not mete out their just entitlement is not in right spirit.
The court further added that the women officers have been compelled to move this court for realisation of their rights. The manner in which the women officers have been denied empanelment as colonel based on selection process is arbitrary.
The top court passed the order on applications argued by Senior Advocates Huzefa Ahmadi and V Mohana.
On November 2021, the Supreme Court had said that it was going to initiate contempt proceedings against the Indian Army for failing to grant Permanent Commission (PC) to eleven women officers in line with its previous orders.
The court has ever since granted Permanent Commission to 39 women officers in the Indian Army. it has been hearing contempt applications in that regard and those by other women Army officers regarding their service conditions.