'In prevailing situation, let's not bring their morale down': Supreme Court on women Army officers

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre not to discharge women Army officers from Short Service Commission, as they challenged the denial of permanent commission to them, by telling the government not to "bring their morale down" in "the prevailing situation".

"In the prevailing situation let’s not bring their morale down. They are brilliant officers, you can use their services somewhere else. This is not the time that they be asked to roam around in the Supreme Court. They have a better place to be and serve the country," a bench presided over by Justice Surya Kant said.

The court scheduled the batch of pleas filed by 69 officers challenging the denial of permanent commission for further hearing to August.

During the course of the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati for government asked the court not to stay the discharge or release of the officers.

She submitted that only 250 personnel are granted permanent commission annually, as an administrative measure based on policy designed to maintain a youthful profile within the armed forces.

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, for Colonel Geeta Sharma and others, cited the case of Colonel Sofia Qureshi, who has been briefing the media on 'Operation Sindoor'.

She said Qureshi had also approached the court seeking permanent commission. She has since brought honour to the country, the counsel said.

In a landmark judgment on February 17, 2020 in 'Secretary, Ministry of Defence Vs Babita Puniya and Others', the apex court held that the blanket exclusion of women from all but staff appointments in the Army was indefensible. "Denying women SSC officers consideration for command roles without justification could not be upheld under the law," the court had said.

It had also said limiting their role was not based on reason, but on sex stereotyping.