Latest news with #SeemaChaudhary
United News of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
SC slams Navy for denying Permanent Commission to woman JAG Officer
New Delhi, May 22 (UNI) The Supreme Court has criticised the Indian Navy for not granting Permanent Commission (PC) to Commander Seema Chaudhary, a woman officer from the 2007 Short Service Commission (SSC) batch in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) branch, despite clear directions given earlier by the top judiciary. A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh took serious note of the Navy's inaction, making it clear that the court's previous direction to 'consider' the officer's case could not be used as an excuse to avoid action. 'Enough is enough… we give you one week to grant her Permanent Commission,' Justice Kant stated sternly during the hearing. The case revolves around Commander Seema Chaudhary, who has faced prolonged legal battles and filed nearly five petitions seeking justice. Her counsel, Senior Advocate Rekha Palli, argued that while male officers are inducted directly into Permanent Commission, women officers are only taken in through Short Service Commission. She added that currently, there are no women JAG officers in the Navy. After reviewing Chaudhary's service record and performance reports, the court questioned why she was denied PC, especially when she was found fit in all respects. In defence, Senior Advocate Dr. R. Balasubramanian, representing the Navy, pointed to three Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) that included adverse comments. However, the court noted that these ACRs had already been overruled by the reviewing authority. Justice Kant also criticised the bias reflected in the ACRs, implying a male superior had unfairly assessed the officer's work. 'She was graded well in all parameters, and one officer's personal opinion cannot undo her service,' he remarked. The bench reminded the Navy that a 2024 Supreme Court order had already directed reconsideration of the officer's case under Article 142 of the Constitution. The court had ordered that Chaudhary's case be decided independently, as she was the only 2007-batch JAG woman officer eligible for PC. The judgment also permitted the Navy to proportionally increase the number of PC vacancies to accommodate her, ensuring that no other officer would be displaced and that this move would not set a precedent. Justice Kant reminded the Navy's counsel, 'This is not about ego. The 2024 judgment has reached finality. It cannot be ignored at the whims of authorities.' The petitioner alleged that her PC was being denied as retaliation for a workplace harassment complaint she filed against a male officer. A Board of Inquiry reportedly found merit in her complaint, yet she was transferred within a day of filing it, while the accused officer remained in the same post. On the request of Dr. Balasubramanian to seek further instructions, the court agreed to list the matter for further hearing in the first week of July. UNI SNG SSP
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Non-grant of permanent commission to lady officer: SC reproaches Navy action
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Supreme Court on Tuesday disapproved of non-grant of permanent commission to a 2007 batch Short Service Commission officer despite its observing that "enough is enough", a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant asked Naval authorities to shed their bench asked the authorities to consider the case of 2007 batch Judge Advocate Generals (JAG or legal) branch officer Seema Chaudhary within a week and grant her permanent bench told counsel appearing for the Centre and Naval authorities: "Enough is enough. Please mend your ways. We will give you one week to take her in for the permanent commission. Does the authority concerned think they can sit over the orders of the court? What kind of disciplined force are you?"The bench, after examining the minutes of the selection board and the annual confidential reports of the officer, asked why Chaudhary was not taken in the permanent commission when the authorities claimed she had attained all bench verbally remarked: "The authority concerned has to shed its ego. How can you say that she is fit in all aspects but still we cannot take her in permanent commission? There is a clear-cut finding of this court that her case has to be considered on a standalone basis. Then why was she not considered till now?"The counsel for authorities argued that though she checked all parameters, her three annual confidential reports (ACR) contained adverse remarks which couldn't be overlooked for the grant of permanent bench asked the counsel to furnish the three ACRs and said the remarks made by initiating officers were eventually overruled by the reviewing officer and final authority even accorded her the full 7.6 counsel said that the Navy did not have a closed mind and "she can be taken" upon a court direction. The counsel, however, sought time to take instructions on the matter. The bench posted the matter for orders after the court's summer break and said the 2024 judgement of the SC, passed in her review plea, had attained finality.
