Landmark India court ruling orders equal roles for women in army

India's top court ruled on Monday that all officers are eligible for positions of command regardless of their gender, despite an attempt by the government to overrule the decision based on its claim that male soldiers were not ready to accept orders from the women.

The court called the government's stance "disturbing".

The Supreme Court also ordered the government to extend permanent service to women, a status that was previously limited to men.

This allowed them to take on more senior roles in the army, as well as access to promotions and pensions, and allow them to serve for longer.

The previous law allowed women to serve for up to 14 years, and a permanent tenure was only offered to servicewomen in the army's legal and educational sections.

"To cast aspersion on their abilities on the ground of gender is an affront not only to their dignity as women but to the dignity of the members of the Indian Army," judges said in their ruling.

Women and men are celebrating the ruling as a step closer to gender equality in India.

Lt. Col. Seema Singh (2L) and other women army personnel celebrate [Getty]

The Supreme Court rejected the government's request to overturn the decision, and it has been hailed a "great leap" towards equality in the army.

Serving and retired officers had campaigned hard for the ruling.

"The contentions of centre [the federal government] regarding the issue of physiological limitations and social norms to deny opportunity to women officers is disturbing and cannot be accepted," Justice DY Chandrachud said while reading out the court verdict.

The government had been accused of discrimination when it had initially attempted to argue against women having the same opportunities as men in the army.

"The composition of rank and 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," it said.

But the court rejected the argument, saying the "right to equality is a right to rationality".

Lawyer Aishwarya Bhati, who represented women officers in court, said it was a landmark judgement.

"There was clear discrimination in the army. One officer had served for 26 years without getting the same benefits as men. Now the wrong has been corrected," she told the BBC.

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