Supreme Court Reviews Gender Equality in Army Permanent Commissions

The Supreme Court is hearing cases regarding the unequal treatment of female and male officers in the Indian Army's permanent commission process. Female officers argue they face discrimination, contrary to a 2020 court directive promoting gender equality. The court considers revising guidelines for uniformity but requires further deliberation.

The Indian Supreme Court has engaged in hearings addressing claims of discrimination against female officers in the Army's process of granting permanent commissions, a pivotal step in military careers. Female officers contend that they are assessed by the same criteria as their male counterparts, which they argue is unfair given the differing circumstances between the two groups.

Chief among the concerns is the alleged erroneous calculation of available vacancies and the casual grading of women's annual confidential reports, suggesting a systemic bias. Senior advocates, speaking for the female officers, argue that such disparities violate the principle of equality and contravene a 2020 ruling that aimed to ensure gender equality within the military ranks.

As these deliberations proceed, and until they reach a resolution, the top court has maintained an interim order preventing the release of women officers from service. The hearings also touch on related cases involving similar issues in the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, keeping the focus on gender parity across the country's defense services.

(With inputs from agencies.)