 "SC asks IAF not to release woman officer part of Op Sindoor from service")
The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday stayed the release of Wing Commander Nikita Pandey, a woman officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF) who participated in Operation Balakot and Operation Sindoor, but was denied permanent commission.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued notices to the Union government and the IAF, seeking their response while hearing Pandey’s plea. The court said her release would be kept in abeyance for now.
The officer’s plea
Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy said Pandey was a fighter controller who had worked as an expert in the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems (IACCS), which were critical during both operations.
She ranks second in the merit list for expert fighter controllers and has served for over 13.5 years. However, a 2019 policy change led to her being denied permanent commission, forcing her exit from service within a month, the plea submitted.
Centre, IAF argue ‘pyramidal structure’
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre and the IAF, said they had no objection to capable officers continuing in service. However, she cited the IAF’s steep pyramidal structure, under which many officers must exit after 14 years to keep the force young.
Bhati added that while most officers are found fit during evaluations, comparative merit limits how many can be absorbed into permanent roles.
SC raises concern over morale, structure
Referring to Pandey’s record, Justice Kant said: “Our Air Force is one of the best in the world. The officers are commendable. Because of them, we sleep peacefully at night.”
He noted that uncertainty around careers of qualified officers could be harmful to morale and operations.
“That sense of uncertainty may not be good for the armed forces. It’s a layman’s view—we’re not experts—but on minimum benchmarks, there can’t be a compromise.”
The court said repeated recruitment under Short Service Commission (SSC), without permanent absorption, was creating avoidable inter se competition.
“If you have 100 SSC officers, your system should have the capacity to take 100 of them into permanent commission if they meet suitability criteria,” the bench observed.
The court clarified that its interim stay would not create equity in Pandey’s favour and all legal issues remained open. The next hearing is scheduled for 6 August.