The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) for not granting permanent commission to woman officer Priyanka Tyagi, observing that women officers should not be humiliated through arbitrary or technical objections. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana described the ICG’s newly issued policy as vague and arbitrary and directed the force to reconsider Tyagi’s case.
The Bench gave the ICG two weeks to decide whether to grant Tyagi a permanent commission, warning that the court could order her absorption if the authorities failed to act. The judges questioned why permanent commissions could be granted to male officers but not women and said hyper-technical reasons should not be used to reject eligible officers. Chief Justice Surya Kant urged the Coast Guard to “show some sportsmanship” and take a decision within the stipulated period.
Tyagi, a Short Service Appointee who has completed more than 14 years of service, had approached the Supreme Court after being denied permanent commission and directed to leave service. In 2024, the court had ordered the Coast Guard to reinstate her. Tyagi had also served as captain of a Dornier aircraft as part of the country’s first all-women crew deployed in the eastern region for maritime surveillance and patrolling.
