We feel very little before them: Supreme Court stays exit of woman army officer

New Delhi, May 9: The Supreme Court of India has stayed the relieving of a woman Army officer from service, offering strong words of respect for the military and recognition of the role played by women in its ranks. “We all feel very little before them,” Justice Surya Kant remarked on Friday, referring to the Indian Army, which is currently engaged in Operation Sindoor following terror attack in Pahalgam.

The comments came during a hearing on a petition filed by Lieutenant Colonel Geeta Sharma, who challenged her removal from active duty despite not being formally dismissed. A Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan ordered that Sharma’s exit be put on hold until further consideration, and directed the Central government not to release any other women short service commission (SSC) officers in the meantime. “There is no dearth of women officers. We have excellent officers,” Justice Kant observed during the proceedings.

Appearing for Sharma, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy urged the Court to allow her client to remain in service. She cited the case of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who recently led the Army’s press briefing on Operation Sindoor, as a demonstration of what judicial intervention has made possible. “Colonel Qureshi was a petitioner in the Babita Puniya case. She would not have led the Operation Sindoor briefing if milords hadn’t intervened,” Guruswamy argued, referencing the landmark 2020 ruling in which the Supreme Court upheld the right of women officers to seek permanent commission in the Army. Representing the Union of India, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati highlighted the round-the-clock commitment of the armed forces. “The nation sleeps while the defence forces remain awake all night,” she said. The matter is scheduled to be heard next on August 6.