The Delhi High Court has extended the interim protection granted by the Supreme Court to women officers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) who challenged the denial of Permanent Commission.
The court has directed the IAF authorities to file their response within a week. The matter will be heard again in July. The officers had approached the Supreme Court last year against the IAF decision. The apex court had directed them to seek relief from the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) or the High Court.
Following the direction, they moved the AFT, but their plea was dismissed. They then approached the Delhi High Court, which has continued the interim stay on their discharge.
The case is part of a wider challenge by women IAF officers against the denial of Permanent Commission. They have alleged that discharge orders were issued despite the Supreme Court’s interim protection.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners argued that the IAF acted hastily by issuing discharge orders on June 3, when the Delhi High Court and the AFT were on vacation. The officers claimed the orders were issued before the tribunal could hear their applications.
Responding to the High Court’s query on why they approached it at this stage, the petitioners’ counsel said they had first moved the AFT in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
However, as the tribunal could not hear the matter before the discharge orders were issued, the officers approached the High Court for relief.
