Supreme Court cleared permanent commission for women in the Indian Navy, stating that men and women officers should be treated equally. "They can sail with same efficiency as male officers," the top court said.
A bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Ajay Rastogi said, "Once [the] 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 apex court further stated that after the statutory bar was lifted by the Centre to allow entry of women there cannot be gender discrimination in granting permanent commission to women officers in the Navy.
Meanwhile, the permanent commission should be considered within three months, based on the availability of vacancies.
The Union government had earlier moved the apex court against a September 2015 judgment stating no convincing reason to exclude serving woman officers for permanent commission.
