Supreme Court Offers Temporary Relief to Wing Commander Bhatti

In a significant development on Monday, the Supreme Court extended temporary relief to Wing Commander Kavita Bhatti, a woman officer vying for a permanent commission in the armed forces. The order allows her to stay in service until the next hearing, set for August 6, as directed by Justices Ujjwal Bhuyan and Manmohan.

The court has explicitly instructed that Wing Commander Bhatti should not be relieved of her duties and must remain in her role until the pending court session. Concurrently, the justices issued a notice to the Union Government to respond to Bhatti's plea, heightening the case's profile.

On August 6, the apex court is slated to consider additional petitions from other women Army officers seeking permanent commissions. Previously, on May 9, the court ordered the Central government to refrain from releasing a batch of women officers, signaling its intent to deliberate these matters thoroughly on their merits.

(With inputs from agencies.)