A three judge bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and K.M. Joseph hearing the petition observed that any modification of the cut-off dates would have serious implications for future batches.
The top court said that the relief sought by the women officers amounts to review of its verdict and if it allows the plea then successive batches may seek similar relief.
As quoted in the reports, the top court bench noted that every batch will be completing 14 years. The Judgment announced earlier said those who had completed 14 years of service as on the date of the judgment will get pension and Permanent Commission benefits. "The cut off is the date of the Judgment. If we modify it we will have to modify for successive batches,” the apex court said.
In February this year, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to provide permanent commission to women officers in Army. It said Centre should grant permanent commission to women officers and directed Centre to grant permanent commission within three months to all women officers in Army who opt for it.
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The court had further observed that if stereotypes regarding men being stronger than women continue to prevail in the society then such thinking will never go away.
The verdict had come 14 years after 11 women officers initiated the litigation in the Delhi High Court. Senior advocates Meenakshi Lekhi and Meenakshi Arora, representing women officers, had contended before the top court that the government was attempting to overextend the verdict.