Indian Army Assigns Regular Command Posts to 20 Women Officers After Supreme Court Order

The Indian Army has assigned regular command posts to 20 women officers following a Supreme Court order that denied the army's allegations of discrimination. The court refused to direct the army to give the women officers a fixed tenure of nearly two years at these posts, citing the operational requirements of the armed forces.

According to the army's status report, 20 women officers who were earlier given upgraded units have now been issued regular units. Seven women officers have requested to continue at their present command assignments, while two have superannuated. The Supreme Court has been monitoring the service conditions and promotion of women officers in the Indian Army since 2020, when it directed the army to consider women officers at par with their male counterparts for permanent commission.

The Indian Army has also informed the Supreme Court that it will hold a Special Selection Board (SSB) to consider promoting 246 of its women officers to higher ranks, including the Colonel rank, and granting them permanent commission. This development comes after a petition filed by 34 women officers alleging discrimination in the armed forces, where restrictive standards were applied to women officers even after the landmark Supreme Court judgment granting permanent commission to women in the navy and army.

Why this matters: The Supreme Court's order and the Indian Army's actions represent significant steps towards addressing gender discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for women officers in the armed forces. The decision to assign regular command posts to women officers and consider their promotion to higher ranks reflects a shift in the military's approach to gender equality.

The court directed the army to ensure that the delay in holding the board for women officers' promotion is not held against them and that the results of the SSB be placed before the court. The petition highlighted the challenges faced by women army officers, including job security and the issue of receiving permanent commission, which was only granted to 15% of serving women officers after the 2021 Nitisha judgment. The court's directive aims to address the discrimination and ensure equal opportunities for women officers in the Indian Army.

Key Takeaways

• Indian Army assigned regular command posts to 20 women officers after SC order.
• SC refused to direct army to give women officers fixed tenure, citing operational needs.
• Army to hold Special Selection Board to consider promoting 246 women to higher ranks.
• SC directed army to ensure delay in women's promotion is not held against them.
• Court's directive aims to address discrimination and ensure equal opportunities for women.