We have appointed you to solve the matter at your own level and see no discrimination is done with the women in the army.'

The court made the remarks on a bunch of petitions filed by women officers of the armed forces who, unlike their male counterparts, are not granted permanent commission and forced to retire after 10 years of service despite being fit for the job.

The court had earlier asked the government to treat women officers on a par with their male counterparts in the armed forces.

Following the direction, the government has taken a policy decision to grant permanent commission to those women officers who would be recruited in future only in the judge advocate general's (JAG) branch and education departments, but refused to extend the benefit to serving women officers.