SC decision on permanent commission will boost morale of women officers: Congress
Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader and retired Indian Air Force officer Wing Commander Anuma Acharya expressed strong support for the verdict.
'The decision of the Supreme Court which came yesterday (Friday) provides a lot of relief, and in the current environment of the country, it will boost the morale of women officers,' she said.
She said that on Friday, the Supreme Court issued an order in support of the women officers, directing that the Short Service Commissioned women officers who had filed the petition be reinstated in service until the next hearing. Justice Suryakant emphasised the importance of maintaining the morale of women officers during these times and acknowledged their talent and capabilities.
Acharya mentioned that she was personally a 'beneficiary of this case,' recalling that it was during the Congress government's tenure in 1992 when the entry of women officers was first allowed. She noted that the Indian Air Force, on behalf of the Defence Ministry, had issued a circular on November 25, 1991, stating that the induction of women officers would begin as a pilot project.
Between 1999 and 2004, when the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) was discontinued for other government employees, the provision of pensions for women officers was also withdrawn. In 2007, Wing Commander Anupama Joshi and Squadron Leader Rukhsan Haq were the first to take the matter to court.
Following their lead, women officers from the Army also became part of the legal battle. By mid-2009, all related cases were consolidated, and the Delhi High Court reserved its judgment on the matter on December 14, 2009.
On March 12, 2010, the court delivered a verdict in favor of the women officers. However, the case of the Indian Air Force held a stronger position due to formal backing by a Ministry of Defence circular. Around this time, approximately 15 of us women officers, met Rahul Gandhi on March 23, 2010. He assured us that he would advocate for our case before the Defence Ministry, based on its merits.
Since a policy letter had been issued specifically for the case of women officers in the Indian Air Force, 23 officers, including myself, were granted permanent commission at that time. However, no such policy was introduced for the Army, which led the remaining women officers to continue their legal battle in the Supreme Court for the next ten years through the Babita Punia vs Government of India case.
She highlighted the evolving landscape of women's participation in the armed forces, noting that policy changes since 2006 have progressively opened doors for women. 'Two and a half years ago, women got entry into the Army through the NDA. Now we can imagine that 30 years from today, we might see one or more women reaching the position of Army Chief,' she added.
She emphasised that while the path to top roles such as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has traditionally been available to male officers, recent shifts indicate a growing reconsideration of entry schemes for women officers as well.
'Now the Supreme Court has decided that the women officers should be reinstated until the next hearing in August. We welcome this decision of the top court,' she said.
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