The court’s instruction came after senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for women officers, alleged discrimination in the empanelment.

During the hearing, the Attorney General told the court that the concept of empanelment is based on comparative merit among officers of the same batch. As per the Centre’s policy, the officers who had already been empanelled were not to be disturbed. But when the fresh special selection board was convened, it was necessary to benchmark the officers to be considered with empanelled officers, he said.

Ahmadi opposed this. He said that a similar exercise was not carried out for the empanelment of male officers.

The bench took into record the Attorney General’s submission and fixed March 11 for further hearing.