Grant permanent commission to those with no pending issues: SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday told the Union government and Army to come back with orders granting permanent commission to those among the 72 women short service commission officers (WSSCO) who do not have any disciplinary or vigilance issues pending against them.

Hearing the contempt petitions filed by the 72 officers who were declared unfit for permanent commission (PC), the bench of justices Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna directed the Army to segregate the names of those officers who face doubtful integrity or serious disciplinary issues. “You have to set your house in order,” the bench told army.

Directing this exercise to be done by the next date of hearing on October 22, the court reminded the Army that no additional factors could be introduced to deny PC under the March 25 order of the court that prescribed 60% marks based on their track record as decided by the Selection Board, medical fitness, and vigilance/disciplinary clearances.

Appearing for the Centre, additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain said the 72 officers have been declared unfit as their service records show serious charges such as “disobedience of orders, lapses in government procurement, forging medical documents, poor work ethics, lack of professionalism, un-officer like conduct, poor performance in courses” that render them unfit under the Army Policies of 1983 and 2012.

In June, the Army filed a clarification application in the SC to know whether the judgment of the court requiring the women officers to clear the 60% merit benchmark and medical fitness will automatically mean they are fit for PC or the Army can declare them unfit on the above issues of integrity and discipline. The application was dismissed on August 2 as “not maintainable” and the court directed the army to comply with its March 25 order. The bench said, “If an officer has issues... we make it clear we will not interfere.”