Supreme Court orders Centre to ensure permanent commission of women in Army

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday passed an order on whether women officers in the Indian Army will be allowed "command appointments" on par with male officers. 

"Physiological features of women have no link to their rights. The mindset must change," the Supreme Court said on Monday.

In a note from a report, the government had told the Supreme Court that "troops are not yet mentally schooled to accept women officers in command of units" since they are "predominantly drawn from a rural background".

"Women work shoulder to shoulder with men. The centre's submission is based on gender discrimination and stereotype. Women Army officers brought laurels to the county," Justices DY Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi said.

The petitioners have countered the government by saying the arguments made by it on the physical capabilities of women, the composition of the rank and file and psychological realities "need to be rejected with the contempt that it deserves".

The Supreme Court also ruled on whether women who have already served 14 years in the Short Service Commission (SSC) in the Army will be given the option of a permanent commission. It said all women officers and not limited to 14 years in SSC must be given permanent commission. "We see no reason not to grant permanent commission to those who had have more than 14 years in service," the court said.