Top court slams army for forcing officer to litigate, grants permanent posting

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday took a firm stance against the Indian Army for compelling officers to seek judicial intervention for relief they are entitled to, emphasizing that such practices undermine fairness and equity in service matters.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench of justices Bhushan R Gavai and KV Viswanathan made the observations while directing the Army to grant permanent commission to Lieutenant Colonel Suprita Chandel, who had been denied the opportunity to appear for a departmental examination due to a regulatory amendment in 2013. The court criticised the Army for failing to extend the benefits of an earlier judicial ruling to similarly situated officers, stating: "What is sauce for the goose ought to be sauce for the gander."