SC begins hearing pleas of women Army officers denied permanent commissions

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 6, 2025) began hearing the pleas of women Army officers with short service commissions (SSC), who claim they are being denied permanent commissions as a result of discrimination by their male counterparts.

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and N. Kotiswar Singh began hearing the petitions filed by two batches of officers, those serving and those released from service.

The top court said after the Army officers, it would hear pleas from women Naval officers, followed by women officers in the Air Force, who are also challenging the denial of permanent commissions.

‘Systematic discrimination’

Senior advocates Huzefa Ahmadi, Menaka Guruswamy, V. Mohana, and other lawyers represented the SSC woman officers, who contended there was systematic discrimination in not granting them permanent commissions. The women officers contended that there was casual grading of their annual confidential reports and denial of equal opportunities in comparison to their male counterparts.

The Bench proposed uniform guidelines in granting permanent commissions, but pointed out that factors such as specialised training must be kept in mind. It also asked the officers what they felt should be the basis for assessment for permanent commissions.

Inconclusive

The Supreme Court was hearing a batch of more than 75 petitions challenging the denial of permanent commissions on various grounds. The hearing remained inconclusive and will be continued on August 7.

The top court said that interim orders passed earlier would remain in force, restraining the Centre from releasing these officers from service till the adjudication of their pleas.

On May 9, the court had asked the Centre not to release from service SSC women Army officers challenging the denial of permanent commission, asking the government not to "bring their morale down" in "the prevailing situation".

‘Administrative decision’

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, has contended that it was an administrative decision, based on a policy to keep the armed forces young.

Ms. Guruswamy, appearing for Colonel Geeta Sharma, has earlier referred to the case of Colonel Sofia Qureshi, one of the two women officers who had briefed the media on Operation Sindoor on May 7 and 8.

The women officers have relied upon the 2020 verdict of the Supreme Court, when the Army was directed to grant them permanent commissions.

‘Absolute exclusion indefensible’

In its February 17, 2020 ruling, the top court said that absolute exclusion of women from all positions in the Army, except staff assignments, was indefensible, adding that their blanket non-consideration for command appointments without any justification could not be sustained in law.

The Supreme Court, which allowed permanent commissions to women officers in the Army, said an absolute prohibition of women Short Service Commission officers to obtain anything but staff appointments evidently did not fulfil the purpose of granting permanent commissions as a means of career advancement in the Army.

The top court also referred to the distinctions achieved by women officers, offering the example of Col. Qureshi's achievements.

Since the 2020 verdict, the top court has passed several orders on the issue of permanent commissions to women officers in the armed forces, with similar orders were passed in the case of the Navy, Indian Air Force, and Coast Guard.