HC allows permanent commission for women in Indian Navy

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Delhi High Court on Friday announced "sexist bias and service bias" would not be allowed to block progress of women,thereby allowing permanent commission for female naval officers.

While the Army and Air Force allow permanent commission for women, the Navy has limited women officers only to short service commission of 14 years.

The court, while granting their plea, said the "women are here to stay" and since they "work shoulder to shoulder" with their male counterparts, it would "frown upon any endeavor to restrain the progress of women".

A bench of justices Kailash Gambhir and Najmi Waziri also allowed the women naval officers' plea seeking retirement benefits like pension.

The order came on the request of several naval women officers, both retired and serving, from the logistics, education and air traffic control departments of the Navy. The women naval officers in their pleas in the high court had sought similar rights as their counterparts in the other two wings of the armed forces.