IAF’s policy of 2011 under which Sqn Leader Sangeetha Damodar was denied permanent commission not applicable in her case, says AFT

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 28

Eight years after a woman IAF officer was released from service after her claim for permanent commission was declined, she may be reinstated in service as the Armed Forces Tribunal has held that the policy under which her claim was rejected was not applicable in her case.

In her petition, Sqn Ldr Sangeetha Damodar had averred that she was not granted permanent commission by applying the eligibility criteria under the IAF’s policy of August 2011 whereas she ought to have been considered under the policy issued in November 2010.

Setting aside the IAF order that rejected her claim for permanent commission, the AFT, in its order earlier this month, directed the IAF to consider her case on the basis of the IAF’s policy of November 2010, read with the policy of September 2004, within four months and if found eligible, reinstate her in service.

Sqn Ldr Damodar joined the IAF as a short service commission officer in July 2000 and was released from service in August 2011.

She contended that she was commissioned on the basis of a letter issued in June 2003, which was reiterated in the policy of September 2004 that listed the criteria for grant of extension to women short service commission officers. The policy did not provide for permanent commission to women officers.

Some women officers had approached the Delhi High Court for grant of permanent commission, which allowed their petitions in March 2010, making all women officers eligible for grant of permanent commission on the same parameters as applicable to male short service officers.