Overview

• The Supreme Court has directed the Centre not to release over 50 women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers until their petitions challenging denial of permanent commission are heard in August 2025.
• Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh stressed the importance of maintaining the morale of these officers, citing their critical contributions during ongoing border tensions with Pakistan.
• The court highlighted the need for a balance of young and experienced officers, rejecting the Centre's justification of retaining only young personnel as part of its administrative policy.
• Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the officers involved, recently briefed the media on Operation Sindoor, underscoring the value of experienced women officers in high-stakes roles.
• The 2020 Babita Puniya judgment had already established equal rights for women SSC officers to seek permanent commission, but implementation remains contested.