Supreme Court directs Centre, IAF to not launch officer a part of Operation Sindoor from service-OxBig News Network

The Supreme Court directed the Centre and the Indian Air Force to not launch from service a lady officer, who was a part of Operation Balakot and Operation Sindoor however was denied everlasting fee. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday (May 22, 2025) directed the Centre and the Indian Air Force to not launch from service a lady officer, who was a part of Operation Balakot and Operation Sindoor however was denied everlasting fee.

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh sought responses from the Centre and the IAF on the plea of Wing Commander Nikita Pandey who claimed discrimination for being denied everlasting fee. The Bench known as IAF an expert pressure and mentioned the uncertainty on service was not good for such officers.

“Our Air Force is without doubt one of the greatest organisations on this planet. Officers are very commendable. Quality of coordination they’ve exhibited, I feel it is unparalleled. Therefore, we all the time salute them. They are a giant asset for the nation. They are the nation, in a means. Because of them, we’re capable of sleep at evening,” Justice Kant mentioned.

The Bench famous a “robust life” for Short Service Commission (SSC) officers started following their recruitment, which known as for some incentive after 10 or 15 years to grant them everlasting fee. “That sense of uncertainty is probably not good for the armed forces. It’s a layman’s suggestion, as a result of we aren’t specialists. On minimal benchmarks, there cannot be a compromise,” Justice Kant mentioned.

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, showing for the officer, mentioned her consumer was an skilled fighter controller, who participated as an skilled within the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems (IACCS), which had been deployed in Operation Sindoor and Operation Balakot.

The senior counsel submitted that the officer had served greater than 13.5 years in service however was impacted by a 2019 coverage that denied her everlasting fee and compelled her to conclude her service after a month. “The officer ranked second in the merit list of expert air fighter controllers in the country,” Ms. Guruswamy added.

The Bench requested Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, showing for the Centre and the IAF, the explanation for not granting the officer everlasting fee. Ms. Bhati revealed she belonged to an armed forces background herself, subsequently, being receptive of the predicament of such officers however argued that the petitioner was discovered unfit by the choice board. She mentioned the officer straight moved the Supreme Court with out submitting any illustration and knowledgeable the Bench {that a} second choice board can be contemplating her case.

The Bench ordered Ms. Pandey to not be launched from service until additional orders and posted the listening to on August 6. The Supreme Court, nevertheless, mentioned no fairness can be created in her favour and left open all of the contentions within the case.

Ms. Bhati had no objections within the officers persevering with in service as many of the officers within the armed forces had been good officers however final query associated to the comparative advantage and the necessity for holding the forces younger. She mentioned a “steep pyramidal construction” was adopted by IAF which requires that sure officers exit of the service after serving 14 years and new officers come of their place.

Justice Kant informed Ms. Bhati that armed forces ought to have the capability to accommodate all SSC officers within the everlasting fee, highlighting ladies officers carried out exceedingly effectively. “Due to the shortage of everlasting fee for ladies officers after a protracted length, Short Service Commission recruitment are going down. That is the explanation that inter se competitors arises after 10, 12 and 15 years. You can have a coverage of taking that many SCC officers, who might be accommodated within the Permanent Commission, if they’re discovered appropriate. If you have got 100 SCC officers, it is best to have the capability to take 100 of them to the everlasting fee,” the decide mentioned.

Ms. Bhati replied that usually out of 100 officers thought of for the everlasting fee, virtually 90-95% officers had been discovered match however some misplaced out solely on account of comparative advantage. “There are a restricted variety of posts, it is a very steep pyramid construction,” she mentioned.