By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi High Court Friday criticised the government for not being serious about bringing gender equality in the armed forces and sought explanation for not granting permanent commission to serving woman officers.
“On the one hand, the government talks about women empowerment and reservation and, on the other hand, it expresses reservation in giving equal opportunity in the armed forces. The government’s response does not gel with its policy,” Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said while asking the additional solicitor general to appear before it May 18.
The court made the remarks on a bunch of petitions filed by woman officers of the armed forces who, unlike their male counterparts, were not granted permanent commission and forced to retire after 10 years of service despite being fit for the job.
It had earlier asked the government to treat women officers at par with their male counterparts in the armed forces.
Following the direction, the government has taken a policy decision to grant permanent commission to those woman officers who would be recruited in future only in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) branch and education departments, but refused to extend the benefit to serving woman officers.