No Gender-Based Discrimination in WOs Promotion: Army & Centre Tell SC

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 28 March 2024

There has been no gender-based discrimination in the service when it is related to the development of Women Officers (WOs), says the Army and Centre collaboratively. They mentioned that these officers are considered to be promoted entirely upon their merits.

The Centre and Army have affirmed their commitment to gender neutrality in the Indian Army, ensuring uniform policies for all officers, including women officers, and considering promotion on merits. They mentioned that they have worked in a bona field way following the rules and regulations of the honorable court without compromising the mentioned policies.

They further emphasized their commitment towards the existing policies that need to be applied uniformly on all aspects of women officers and gender neutrality in the Indian Army in a joint affidavit filed in the Supreme Court. The affidavit presented in response to petitioners makes it clear that the Special Selection Board has met all the orders directed by the court and followed all the prescribed procedures on 3 November 2023, the female officers filed a petition that concerns regarding biases in promoting the male officers claiming that the group of officers who were already appointed were not considered for evaluation along with the male officers and alleged 'willful disobedience' for the selection of promotion in the grade rank of Colonel.

Women officers' promotions were based on the batch mates adhering to the sacrosanct batch concept, with the matter to be further examined by the Supreme Court on April 1, 2024, after the Holi Break.