The Delhi High Court has extended the interim protection granted earlier by the Supreme Court to women officers, who challenged the Indian Air Force’s decision denying them permanent commission.
The high court has directed the Air Force authorities to file their response within a week, with the matter now scheduled for further hearing in July.
The women officers had initially approached the Supreme Court last year against the Air Force’s decision. The apex court had asked them to pursue the available legal remedy before the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) or the high court. Acting on the direction, they moved the AFT, but their application was dismissed. They had subsequently approached the Delhi High Court, which has now continued the interim stay on their release.
The case forms part of a broader challenge by women officers of the Indian Air Force, who have contested the denial of permanent commission. They have alleged that release orders were issued despite the interim protection granted by the Supreme Court.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for the petitioners argued that the Air Force acted hastily by issuing discharge orders on June 3, at a time when both the Delhi High Court and the AFT were on vacation. According to the petitioners, the release orders were issued before their applications could be taken up by the AFT.
When the high court sought to know why the officers had approached it at this stage, the petitioners’ counsel submitted that they had first approached the AFT in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
However, since the tribunal did not hear the matter before the discharge orders were issued, they were left with no alternative but to seek relief from the Delhi High Court.
