Women Army officers await big verdict

NDTV Correspondent, Friday March 12, 2010, New Delhi


The Delhi High Court is expected to rule today on whether women officers in the armed forces can have permanent service on par with male officers.

More than 20 women Army officers, current and former, are fighting a tough battle in the Delhi High Court. They want the terms of employment for women in the Army to be revised.

Currently women officers have to retire after 14 years in service, irrespective of their record.

In addition to being subjected to rules that don't apply to male officers, this means women officers are not eligible for pension and other benefits.

"Corporates don't value Army experience much. To top it all, there's recession in the market. Where do we go from here? It's such a bleak future," says Major Sandhya Yadav.

Major Sandhya Yadav did not have a choice. She retired in March last year. As a woman, she was entitled to just 14 years in service.

Women were first allowed into the Army in 1992. In 2005, the Army explained its policy of limiting the service for women to 14 years. In an affidavit filed in the High Court, the Army said: "The background of our troops who hail from rural areas with fixed concepts of women had to be considered at the time of induction of women as officers into the Army. Grant of Permanent Commission would result in placing women officers as Commanding Officers of units, which was considered inappropriate."

In September last year, the government did revise the rules to give women the same tenure as men. But this applies only to new recruits and not to women already in service.

"If principally we've agreed that they're fit to be taken into certain corps and services and that they will perform adequately, I see no reason why they can't continue to perform for a longer period," says Retd Lt Gen G L Bakshi.

The Army says the final call will have to be taken by the government.

"There could be various ramifications which the government has to consider - the financial implications, seniority in the Army, the effect on the male counterparts who have gone through a lot of other drills to get permanent commission which these women have not," says Army counsel Dalip Mehra.

The Delhi High Court's order is keenly awaited as it could determine the fate of hundreds of women officers in the armed forces. For them, it's not about personal gains. It's about equality.
Women Army officers await big verdict