Govt told to give permanent commission to 3 women IAF officers

The Centre was today directed by the Delhi High Court to grant permanent commission to three women officers, on short service commission (SSC) with Indian Air Force, within six weeks.

Allowing a joint contempt plea by Wing Commander Rekha Singh and squardon leaders Seema Nandan and Seema Dahiya against the government for non compliance of the court's previous order, Justice Vipin Sanghi directed the Defence Ministry to grant permanent commission them in six weeks on the basis of government's November 2010 policy.

The court also directed the ministry to file a compliance report by May 24.

Appearing for the petitioners, counsel Rekha Palli told teh court that one of its division bench had directed the government on March 12, 2010 to frame a policy and grant permanent commission to the women officers at par with their male colleagues.

The lawyer submitted that the ministry on November 19, 2010 framed a policy and fixed the criteria that the SSC women officers, who were serving prior to May 25, 2006 and also meeting the Quantitative Requirement (QR) of 6.5 points would be granted permanent commission, but her clients were not given the benefit.

On their contempt pleas, the government had assured the court in May 2011 that it would consider the officers' pleas for permanent commission, said Palli, adding the ministry, however, brought a new policy in August last year changing the grading point of 6.5 to 7.

Accusing the government of deliberately avoiding to consider the pleas of her clients, the lawyer said all the officers meet the requisite grading point of 6.5 but not of 7.