The Supreme Court has directed the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to consider granting permanent commission to Short Service Appointee (SSA) officer Priyanka Tyagi and other similarly placed women, pending vigilance clearance. This follows earlier strong remarks from the court against the ICG's "vague" and "arbitrary" policy regarding women officers, emphasising gender equality in the armed forces.
The Supreme Court has ruled that women Short Service Commission officers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, who were unfairly denied Permanent Commission, are entitled to full pensionary benefits.
The Supreme Court has questioned the 'arbitrariness' in the consideration of 'criteria appointment' for Short Service Commission (SSC) women Army officers seeking permanent commission, compared to their male counterparts. The court is hearing a plea from women officers challenging the denial of permanent commission.
The Centre has denied any discrimination in granting permanent commission to Short Service Commission (SSC) women Army officers compared to their male counterparts, assuring the Supreme Court that all parameters are being duly followed.
The Indian Coast Guard has filed an affidavit in response to a plea moved by a woman officer seeking permanent commission.
The Supreme Court of India has ordered the Union government to grant a permanent commission to a woman officer in the Army Dental Corps who was denied benefits given to similarly placed officers. The court ruled that the woman officer was wrongly excluded from consideration and that the principle of "what is sauce for the goose ought to be sauce for the gander" applies in this case. The court directed the government to implement the order within four weeks and to extend all consequential benefits, including seniority, promotion, and monetary benefits, to the officer.
"The order specifies grant of permanent commission to Short Service Commissioned women officers in all 10 streams of the Indian Army," Army Spokesperson Col Aman Anand said.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) for not granting permanent commission to a female officer, saying "we will not allow women officers to be humiliated".
The Indian Navy granted permanent commission to seven women officers of the Short Service Commission batch of 2008-09.
After winning a three-year-long court battle, women officers of the Air Force will now be accorded permanent commission for which the Indian Air Force has initiated an exercise.
The bench asked whether the Union was still adopting "a patriarchal approach" despite the judgements of the top court on grant of permanent commission to women officers in the three armed forces- Army, Air force and the Navy.
Trump has announced an 'Infinite Life' agreement with Denmark and Greenland, claiming it grants the United States permanent control over security and the ability to prevent adversaries from establishing a military presence or making sensitive investments on the strategically vital Arctic island.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre and the Indian Air Force to consider granting permanent commission (PC) to 32 retired women short service commission (SSC) officers based on their suitability for the purpose of giving them pensionary benefits.
In a path-breaking move, the government on Friday decided to grant permanent commission to future batches of women officers in the armed forces, but restricted it to non-combat arms of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
"The women officers were re-considered as per directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court and fresh results have now been de-classified. Consequently, 147 more women officers are being granted PC, taking the total PC granted to 424 out of the 615 officers considered," the ministry said in a statement.
President Pratibha Patil accorded sanction to the defence ministry's proposal, which was agreed to by the three services, hitherto an exclusive domain of men.
Seventy-two women officers from the Indian Army have issued a legal notice to the defence ministry over strict compliance with the Supreme Court order on granting permanent commission to females in the force. "The notice has been sent on behalf of 72 women officers who are fully entitled to be granted permanent commission on the basis of a clear and unambiguous order of the Supreme Court on 25 March this year," counsel of the women officers Major Sudhanshu Pandey said.
The UN human rights office expressed concern over mass detentions during protests in Delhi on Saturday, urging India to respect peaceful assembly rights and release detainees. India rejected these concerns as "misplaced" and "unwarranted interference." The protests, organised by the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanded electoral reforms and the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter list manipulation, which the Election Commission and BJP deny.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has relaid Pitch 9 at Lord's after it received an "unsatisfactory" rating from the ICC following England's Test against New Zealand in June. The pitch, which saw all 40 wickets fall in just 166 overs, will be out of use for at least the next two seasons. MCC has launched a comprehensive review of pitch preparation and plans to use hybrid surfaces to mitigate the impact.
Threatened with contempt action against the Indian Army and its chief Manoj Mukund Naravane by the Supreme Court over non-compliance of its earlier orders, the defence force agreed on Friday to grant permanent commission to all of its eligible women officers.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging Section 16 of the 2023 election law, which grants immunity to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners from civil and criminal proceedings for actions taken in their official capacity. This provision is being contested as unconstitutional, with petitioners arguing it provides "unprecedented, unbridled power" and blanket immunity for life.
In a permanent commission, women officers get an opportunity to rise to the rank of Lieutenant General and retire at 60 with full benefits like the men do. Sources say it is given to women on a case-to-case basis.
The bench said denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in serious miscarriage of justice.
India has strongly rejected a report by a UN human rights expert, Gina Romero, which claimed that young people in India face retaliation or stigmatisation for discussing mental health or gender justice. India's First Secretary Anuj Swarup labelled the report as "hearsay" based on "anonymous and unverified claims," asserting that it does a disservice to the expert's mandate. Swarup highlighted India's constitutional freedoms, independent judiciary, and government's proactive engagement with youth, citing examples like the amendment to the Public Examinations Act and the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue.
India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations, accusing it of hypocrisy regarding religious freedom and funeral rights. India's First Secretary Bhavika Mangalanandan highlighted Pakistan's refusal to accept the bodies of its own soldiers killed in the 1999 Kargil war, contrasting it with Pakistan's current criticism of India. She also pointed to Pakistan's poor record on minority rights and criticised a UN report for selectively targeting India.
Manchester City have appealed the verdict pertaining to financial breaches, while the verdict's wider fallout could involve the Premier League, FA, HMRC and potential compensation claims from football stakeholders.
The Delhi high court has asked the Centre to allow grant of permanent commission to women officers in the armed forces.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded its first physical protection advisory mission to Pakistan, stating that the country has established a "robust nuclear security regime" for its nuclear material and facilities. The mission, conducted from September 28 to October 9, reviewed Pakistan's legislative framework and assessed measures at a nuclear facility, noting continuous improvements and contributions to nuclear security expertise.
While the army and air force allow permanent commission for women, the Navy has limited women officers only to short service commission of 14 years.
A curative petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the September 23 split verdict on the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. The petition, filed by Jaya Thakur, alleges a "reasonable apprehension of bias" due to claims that Justice Satish Chandra Sharma's son is a standing counsel for the Election Commission, raising questions about judicial propriety.
Modi's greater weakness is his inability since July when he directed the exit of Dharmendra Pradhan, to come up with a political counter strategy. Security measures and executive orders as seen in recent days will only likely further weaken him and make him as lame duck a premier as many prior to him, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh included, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
'Election Commissioners are Constitutional authorities and they are not supposed to go to the Cabinet secretary. They are not supposed to write letters. And if they are aggrieved, they should straight go to the President of India.'
The AIADMK suffered a significant blow in the recent Madurantakam and Dharapuram by-polls, seeing a sharp decline in its traditional vote base. The party came in a distant third in both seats, which were previously its strongholds, raising concerns about its leadership, strategy, and future in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, especially with the rise of the TVK.
India's GST Council has approved changes allowing small online sellers to register in states without physical premises by using an e-commerce operator's warehouse as their principal place of business, aiming to boost national sales for small businesses.
'We see a lot of cases of bank deposits getting lost, especially when people die, so this will help address that because you have one consolidated view.'
The prominence of migration highlights a longstanding problem for India's electoral system.
Before protesting against the State, the citizen should not have to ask: Sir, may I protest, please?, asserts Prem Panicker.
Amid sweltering October heat in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray turns up the heat against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, hinting obliquely about Nuremberg-like trials once the wheels of electoral fortune change.
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma has given split opinions on whether pleas challenging the 2023 law for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners should be referred to a larger Constitution bench, citing a difference in views on the law's constitutional validity and the executive's role in selections.
A report by Scholars at Risk, 'Free to Think 2026', states that academic freedom in India is "severely restricted" due to increasing government influence over higher education, university governance, and curbs on student expression. India is listed among six countries in this category, with its Academic Freedom Index score sharply declining. The report cites instances of faculty dismissals, event cancellations, and pressure on student protests, highlighting the alleged use of the UGC as a vehicle for state influence.
