SC to govt: Grant pension benefits to 32 retired women SSC officers

THE ORDER WAS CONSIDERING THE CASE OF 32 OFFICERS WHO RETIRED BEFORE THE DELHI HC’S 2010 VERDICT

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday made a rare exception for retired women short service commission officers of the Indian Air Force (IAF), deeming them to be granted permanent commission in view of their long service and keeping in mind their “excellent track record”.

To be sure, this one-time exception is only for making the women officers eligible for pension, and does not entail reinstatement into service as permanent commission officers. Officers of the armed forces are eligible for pension after 20 years of service.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and justices Hima Kohli and JB Pardiwala refused to order their reinstatement on the ground that they were released from service a long time back between 2006 and 2009.

The order was considering the case of 32 officers who retired before the Delhi high court delivered its landmark verdict on March 12, 2010, opening permanent commission for women short service commission officers (WSSCO) across several branches within the army, navy and air force. The army later challenged this judgment before the top court but the appeal failed.

An IAF spokesperson said a written copy of the judgment was awaited, and the air force will comment on the matter only after studying the order.

The 32 women officers approached the Delhi high court soon after the HC verdict in Babita Puniya v Union of India. But the high court shot down their demand on August 11, 2011 following which they approached the top court.

“The court is apprised by IAF that officers have an excellent track record. They have put in long years of service for IAF. It is in that backdrop we are of the view that this batch of officers who moved the high court soon after Babita Puniya judgment and within reasonable time of their release should not be deprived of the benefit emanating from the HC decision.”

Fire engulfs the iconic Jamia Masjid in Drass area of Kargil on Wednesday. The 100-year-old wooden mosque, one of the biggest in the area, suffered extensive damage in the blaze, officials said. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be established, they added. By the time fire tenders from Kargil, which is 50km away from the town, reached the spot, the mosque was already gutted, local residents said.