SC allows permanent commission for women in Navy, asks Centre to finish modalities in 3 months
New Delhi: Maintaining that women and men officers should be treated equally, the Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared permanent commission for women in the Navy and asked the Centre to complete the modalities within three months.
A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said there cannot be 101 excuses for not granting gender equality in the armed forces and a level playing field is needed.
Denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in a serious miscarriage of justice, it said.
The bench, also comprising Justice Ajay Rastogi, rejected the Centre's stand that sea sailing duties cannot be granted to SSC (Short Service Commission) women officers in the Navy because its Russian vessels do not have washrooms for them.
Such arguments, the court said, are contrary to the Centre's policy of 1991 and 1998 which lifted the statutory bar on the induction of women officers in the Navy.
The bench quashed the prospective effect of the policy barring women officers inducted before 2008 from being granted permanent commission in the Navy. It also granted pension benefits to women officers who have retired and were not granted permanent commission.
It said there cannot be gender discrimination in granting permanent commission to women officers in the Navy after the statutory bar was lifted by the Centre to allow entry of women.
"Once statutory bar was lifted to allow entry of women officers then male and female officers are to be treated equally in granting permanent commission," the court said.
It said that there is enough documentary evidence to suggest women officers in the Navy have brought accolades to the force.
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Bengaluru PG murder: Accused arrested in Bhopal
Bengaluru (PTI): The Bengaluru police have arrested the prime suspect in the murder of a 24-year-old woman at a paying guest accommodation here on July 23.
Abhishek was arrested in Bhopal where he fled after committing the gruesome murder of Kriti Kumari.
"Yes, he has been arrested," a senior police officer told PTI on Saturday.
On Friday, the video of the chilling incident went viral.
According to police, Abhishek had sneaked into the PG accommodation and killed Kriti Kumari from Bihar.
The victim was staying with another woman.
In the video, the man is seen walking into the corridor of the paying guest accommodation holding a polythene bag. He then knocks on the door and, later, drags a woman out. The victim resists the attack but is soon overpowered by the murderer, who slits her throat and runs away.
Hearing the loud noise, other women in the building come to the spot, but could not save her.
"Kriti Kumari was working in a private company in the city," a police officer said.
