The Supreme Court has once again stepped in to address concerns of gender discrimination within the ranks of the Indian Army. 

In a recent hearing, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra directed the Centre to provide clarity on the process of empanelling Army officers, particularly highlighting any differences in treatment between male and female officers.

This move comes after senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing women Army officers, alleged discriminatory practices in the empanelment process. Ahmadi pointed to an earlier court order from November 3, asserting that all women officers considered by the special selection board for promotion to the rank of colonel should be given fair consideration, except those already empanelled. 

However, Ahmadi argued that the current practice of benchmarking female officers against already empanelled ones was not applied to male officers, thus highlighting a clear discrepancy.

In response, Attorney General R Venkataramani defended the empanelment process, stating that it is based on comparative merit within the same batch of officers. He referred to a policy document filed by the Union government, emphasizing that once officers are empanelled, they should not be disturbed. 

However, Venkataramani acknowledged the need to benchmark officers being considered by the special selection board against those already empanelled, a practice he deemed necessary for fairness.

Ahmadi countered this argument, asserting that such benchmarking was not applied to male officers, thereby indicating discrimination against female officers. The bench, taking note of these arguments, directed the Attorney General to file an affidavit explaining the government's position on the matter.

This development is part of a broader legal battle initiated by women officers of the Indian Army who have been granted permanent commission. The dispute centers around their non-empanelment for promotion to the rank of colonel, with the Supreme Court previously criticizing the Army's approach as arbitrary.

In landmark verdicts in 2020, the Supreme Court had directed the granting of permanent commission to women officers in the Army and paved the way for similar opportunities in the Indian Navy. These decisions marked significant strides towards gender equality within the armed forces, rejecting outdated stereotypes and discriminatory practices.