New Delhi, February 5: Male troops of the Indian Army are not prepared to accept women commanders, the Modi government told the Supreme Court during a hearing a plea of some female officers for command posting after getting permanent commission. The government also cited greater family responsibilities expected from women and the danger of them being taken Prisoner of War (PoW) for opposing their plea. Indian Army Jawans, Deployed in Siachen, Ladakh And Doklam, Face Shortages of Ration And Winter Gear: CAG.

"The composition of rank & file being male, and predominantly drawn from rural background, with prevailing societal norms, the troops are not yet mentally schooled to accept women officers in command," senior advocate R Balasubramanian and lawyer Neela Gokhale, representing the Centre, told bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi, Times of India reported. They also cited physiological limitation as another hurdle. Captain Tania Shergill Becomes First Woman to Lead All-Men Contingent During Army Day Parade.

The advocates told the apex court that army personnel's life involves separation and frequent transfers which affect the education of children. "...it is a greater challenge for women officers to meet these hazards of service owing to prolonged absence during pregnancy, motherhood and domestic obligations towards their children and families, especially when both husband and wife happen to be service officers," they argued.

Advocate Balasubramanian told the bench that women officers are being kept away from direct confrontation because it would be a situation of extreme physical, mental and psychological stress for the organisation and the government if a woman officer is taken PoW. He also informed that the Centre is ready to provide permanent commission to women officers who have served up to 14 years in the Army.

Advocates Meenakshi Lekhi and Aishwarya Bhatti, representing the women officers, cited incidents when many of them displayed exceptional bravery in adverse situations. They narrated how Minty Agarwal, as flight controller, had guided Wing Commander Abhinandan when he shot down a Pakistani F-16 during a dogfight. They also cited the example of Mitali Madhumita who was awarded the Sena Medal for her bravery when the Indian embassy in Kabul was attacked by terrorists.

The Supreme Court did not agree with arguments justifying a complete ban on women officers from holding command posts, calling for a change in mindset. "A change of mindset is required with changing times. You need to give them opportunity and they will serve to the best of their capabilities," the top court said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 05, 2020 08:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).