The Supreme Court has given an ultimatum to the Centre regarding the issue of granting permanent commission to women Indian Coast officers. The apex Court today said, “women cannot be left out” and “if you do not do it, we will do it.”
“All this functionality etc. argument does not hold water in 2024. Women cannot be left out. If you do not do it, we will do it. So, take a look at that,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud told the Centre’s counsel, Attorney General R Venkataramani.
The Centre’s counsel responded that he will ask the Coast Guard to file an affidavit.
The court has set March 1 as the date for the next hearing. The petition in the matter has been filed by a woman officer of the Coast Guard. It seeks permanent commission for eligible women officers joining the force under short service commission.
The Attorney General has argued that the Coast Guard is different from Indian Navy and Army.
“You Talk About Nari Sakti, Show It Here,” Says Chief Justice of India
The Centre was also pulled up during the previous hearing in the matter on February 19. At the time, the Chief Justice had then asked regarding the “indifference” with regard to the Coast Guard. “Why don’t you want women in the Coast Guard? If women can guard the borders, they can also guard the beaches. You talk about Nari Shakti, show it here,” he said at the previous hearing.
The court questioned the “patriarchal” mindset opposing induction of women into the force. “You have women in the Navy, so what’s special about the Coast Guard? We will open up the whole canvas. Gone are the days when we said that women cannot be a part of the Coast Guard,” the Chief Justice had said.
Petitioner Draws Attention To Previous Judgements On Women’s Permanent Commission In Indian Army And Navy
The petitioner, Priyanka Tyagi, had earlier approached the Delhi High Court. However, she failed to get relief. In her petition, she has drawn attention to the Supreme Court judgments in the past on permanent commission for women in the Army and Navy.
Bengali