Maintaining that women and men officers should be treated equally, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 17 March, cleared permanent commission for women in the Navy and asked the Centre to complete the modalities within three months.
A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said a level playing field is needed in the Armed Forces. Denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in a serious miscarriage of justice, the apex court further said.
Reacting to the SC’s judgment, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that it was a welcome decision, adding that there should not be any kind of inequality in India’s services or institutions.
BJP MP Hema Malini also reacted to the decision, calling it ‘very good news’.
“Today, Supreme Court has granted permanent commission to women in Navy. It is very good news. Today women are excelling in every field,” she said to the media.
National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma took to Twitter after the judgment, saying that 2020 would be remembered as a year that would be remembered for the apex court’s decisions on gender equality in the Armed Forces.
The All India Mahila Congress also took to Twitter to welcome this move, calling it ‘another milestone in the struggle towards gender equality’.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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