Centre defends permanent commission policy in Army

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions filed by 84 Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers challenging the denial of permanent commission (PC) in the Army.

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A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh heard extensive submissions from both the Centre and the petitioners before concluding the proceedings.

Representing the Union government and the Army, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati argued that the policy on the grant of permanent commission was being implemented fairly and in strict compliance with judicial directions. She referred to the court’s rulings in the Babita Puniya case (2020) and the Nitisha case (2021), stating that any shortcomings flagged by the judiciary were subsequently rectified. “No process can satisfy everyone and there will always be heartburn,” Bhati told the bench, adding that elimination was an essential feature of the policy to maintain a young and efficient force.

Justice Kant, however, pointed out that rectification of faults post-Nitisha did not necessarily imply that the Army’s initial policy was correct.