Treat Military Nurses at par with regular Commissioned Officers-ARMED FORCES TRIBUNAL

                 In a major victory for women in the armed forces, the Armed Forces Tribunal has directed the Government to treat military nurses at par with regular commissioned officers of the three Services in terms of rank and entitlements.

               The order by the Tribunal, which enjoys judicial powers, was pronounced on a petition by former Military Nursing Service (MNS) officer Major General Usha Sikder who had sought restoration of status of Nursing Officers at par with all other officers.

                   "Respondents (central government) are directed to treat all the officers of Military Nursing Service as a part of the regular force of the Indian Armed Forces and extend all entitlements which are commensurate with the rank as equal to commissioned officers of Indian Army to her," the two-member Bench headed by Tribunal Chairman Justice A K Mathur said.