India: Army Grants Commissions To Women

From the Indian Express:

The Army on Monday agreed to grant permanent commission to serving women officers in two branches, Judge Advocate General and Army Education Corps, following which the Supreme Court stayed “contempt proceedings” against the Army chief.

Fighting a lonely battle against non-grant of permanent commission to women officers after the Air Force complied with the Delhi High Court judgment of March 12, Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, who represented the Army, assured the court that women officers in the Short Service Commission (SSC) would be absorbed on a permanent basis in the next two months after the necessary screening and training procedures.

There are 2,200 serving women officers — 1,200 in Army, 750 in Air Force and 250 in the Navy — as per Ministry of Defence figures.

Major Leena Gurav, a serving JAG officer who had pioneered the litigation for permanent commission back in 2003, would be one of the first to be considered for permanent commission.