The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the impending release of Wing Commander Niketa Pandey, a Short Service Commission (SSC) officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF) who played a significant role in Operation Sindoor.
The court observed that the lack of clarity regarding permanent commission (PC) for SSC officers creates uncertainty and called for a policy overhaul.
A bench led by Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh expressed concern over the ambiguity surrounding the future of SSC officers after completing their tenure. The court stressed that a transparent policy is needed to address the inter-se competition and anxiety caused by the current selection process.
“A sense of uncertainty may not be good for the armed forces… Future recruitment policies must ensure a clearer pathway for permanent commission,” the bench noted.
Pandey, who joined the IAF in 2011, was granted an extension until June 19, 2025, after completing her initial 10-year tenure. She was recently deployed in the high-stakes Operation Sindoor and had earlier contributed to Operation Balakot.
Despite being considered by two selection boards and not found suitable for PC, Pandey has one remaining opportunity to appear before a third and final board. Her counsel, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, argued that given her strategic involvement and operational experience, a fair and non-hasty evaluation is essential.
In her plea, Pandey asserted that women officers have been part of the IAF since 1992, yet their induction route remains restricted to SSC, unlike their male counterparts who have access to both SSC and PC tracks. She claimed this structure violates the principle of equality and the Supreme Court’s own rulings on gender parity in the armed forces.
The Centre, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, noted that the IAF has implemented PC for women much earlier than the Army, and emphasized the need for a younger officer profile in the force.
The Supreme Court had earlier stayed the release of over 50 Army women SSC officers in a similar matter. This marks the first instance of a woman SSC officer in the IAF receiving a stay order on release, signaling a potentially precedent-setting moment for future gender and tenure policies in the armed forces.
