Supreme Court Shapes Policy on Promotion of Women Officer

Several female Army officers have raised concerns about alleged discrimination in the promotion process from the rank of colonel to brigadier. The Supreme Court has instructed the Indian Army to finalize a policy for the promotion of women officers in this context.

The Chief Justice of India, Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, acknowledged this information and set a deadline for the formulation of the policy, expecting it to be completed by March 31, 2024.

This development follows a landmark verdict on February 17, 2020, where the Supreme Court granted permanent commission for women officers in the Army, rejecting stereotypes about their “physiological limitations” and denouncing gender discrimination. The Court mandated that all serving Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers should be considered for permanent commission.

In a subsequent ruling on March 17, 2020, the Supreme Court paved the way for permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Navy.

The Attorney General (AG) explained that an officer seeking promotion to the rank of Brigadier must meet essential eligibility criteria, including a minimum of 2 confidential reports in the Colonel Select rank. The AG emphasized the importance of operational command experience, stating that officers are required to lead a unit or battalion for 18 to 24 months to understand the complexities of command.

Despite progress, the Court noted that the Army had initially resisted the inclusion of women officers based on operational efficiency concerns. The AG asserted that all Army policies are gender-neutral, and waivers were granted to women officers.

The Supreme Court’s intervention underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring gender equality and fairness in the military, urging the formulation of policies that address these issues comprehensively.

_{Repurposed article originally published in the Hindustan Times}