Latest news with #NikitaPandey
News18
23-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
SC Directs IAF Not To Release Officer Part Of Op Sindoor Who Was Denied Permanent Commission
Last Updated: Wing Commander Nikita Pandey had alleged discrimination for being denied permanent commission in the Air Force. The matter will be taken up on August 6. The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Central government and the Indian Air Force (IAF) not to release a woman officer from service, who was part of Operation Balakot in 2019 and Operation Sindoor, but was denied permanent commission. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and NK Singh sought responses from the Centre and IAF while hearing a plea from Wing Commander Nikita Pandey, who alleged discrimination for being denied permanent commission. The bench noted that a 'tough life" for Short Service Commission (SSC) officers began following their recruitment, which called for some incentive after 10 or 15 years to grant them permanent commission. Justice Kant hailed the Air Force as one of the best organisations in the world and an asset to the nation, but said the uncertainty may hurt the force. 'That sense of uncertainty may not be good for the Armed Forces. It's a layman's suggestion, because we are not experts. On minimum benchmarks, there can't be a compromise," he said. Who Is Wing Commander Nikita Pandey? Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, representing Wing Commander Pandey, said her client was an expert fighter controller, who participated as an expert in the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems (IACCS), which were deployed in Operation Sindoor and Operation Balakot. Pandey had served over 13.5 years in service but was impacted by a 2019 policy that denied her permanent commission and forced her to conclude her service after a month. She ranked second in the merit list of expert air fighter controllers in India, her counsel said. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre and the IAF, told the court that the petitioner was found unfit by the selection board. She said the officer directly moved the apex court without filing any representation and informed the bench that a second selection board would be considering her case. The Supreme Court has directed that Wing Commander Pandey remain in service until further notice, adjourning the matter to August 6. However, it clarified that this interim relief would not grant her any legal advantage, and all issues in the case will remain open for consideration. Bhati said a 'steep pyramidal structure" was followed by the IAF, which requires that certain officers go out of the service after serving 14 years and new officers come in their place. Justice Kant told Bhati that the armed forces should have the capacity to accommodate all SSC officers in the permanent commission, highlighting that women officers performed exceedingly well. First Published: May 23, 2025, 12:27 IST
New Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
IAF told not to remove Wing Commander part of Operation Sindoor
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Centre and the Indian Air Force (IAF) not to remove from service a woman Wing Commander, who was part of Operation Balakot and Operation Sindoor but was denied permanent commission. The top court's direction came after it heard the the plea filed by Wing Commander Nikita Pandey who claimed discrimination for being denied permanent commission in the Indian Armed Forces. Seeking responses from the Centre and IAF on the plea, a two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Surya Kant ordered that the petitioner should not to be released from service till further orders and posted the matter for further hearing to August 6. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for Pandey, told the court that her client was an expert fighter controller, who participated as an expert in the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems, which were deployed in Operation Sindoor and Operation Balakot. Highliting Pandey's exceptional service, Guruswamy said the officer had served over 13.5 years but was impacted by a 2019 policy that denied her permanent commission and forced her to conclude her service after a month. The officer ranked second in the merit list of expert air fighter controllers in the country, he added. The bench asked Bhati, appearing for the Centre and IAF, the grounds for not granting the officer a permanent commission in the Armed Forces.
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Business Standard
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
SC asks IAF not to release woman officer part of Op Sindoor from service
The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday stayed the release of Wing Commander Nikita Pandey, a woman officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF) who participated in Operation Balakot and Operation Sindoor, but was denied permanent commission. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued notices to the Union government and the IAF, seeking their response while hearing Pandey's plea. The court said her release would be kept in abeyance for now. The officer's plea Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy said Pandey was a fighter controller who had worked as an expert in the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems (IACCS), which were critical during both operations. She ranks second in the merit list for expert fighter controllers and has served for over 13.5 years. However, a 2019 policy change led to her being denied permanent commission, forcing her exit from service within a month, the plea submitted. Centre, IAF argue 'pyramidal structure' Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre and the IAF, said they had no objection to capable officers continuing in service. However, she cited the IAF's steep pyramidal structure, under which many officers must exit after 14 years to keep the force young. Bhati added that while most officers are found fit during evaluations, comparative merit limits how many can be absorbed into permanent roles. SC raises concern over morale, structure Referring to Pandey's record, Justice Kant said: 'Our Air Force is one of the best in the world. The officers are commendable. Because of them, we sleep peacefully at night.' He noted that uncertainty around careers of qualified officers could be harmful to morale and operations. 'That sense of uncertainty may not be good for the armed forces. It's a layman's view—we're not experts—but on minimum benchmarks, there can't be a compromise.' The court said repeated recruitment under Short Service Commission (SSC), without permanent absorption, was creating avoidable inter se competition. 'If you have 100 SSC officers, your system should have the capacity to take 100 of them into permanent commission if they meet suitability criteria,' the bench observed. The court clarified that its interim stay would not create equity in Pandey's favour and all legal issues remained open. The next hearing is scheduled for 6 August.
