LI Network
Published on: December 21, 2023 at 12:52 IST
The Delhi High Court has instructed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to revise its recruitment rules to permit the inclusion of women as drivers within the force in a six-month timeframe.
The direction was given by a division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna. The Union Government’s counsel informed the court that providing a definite timeline for amending the CISF Recruitment Rules was not feasible.
Despite the government’s inability to specify a timeframe, the court, considering the prolonged pendency of the matter for over five years, directed the CISF to amend its rules within the stipulated six months.
The court issued this order in response to a public interest litigation filed by Kush Kalra in 2018. The PIL sought to allow the recruitment of women to the positions of Constable or Driver in the CISF, on par with male candidates.
The court disposed of the PIL and scheduled the matter for compliance on July 15, 2024.
In May, the Union Government informed the court that CISF had proposed amendments to the recruitment rules, aiming to facilitate the recruitment of women to the positions of constable or driver and constable or driver-cum-pump operator (driver for fire services), aligning them with male candidates.
Kush Kalra’s plea argued that the human rights of women are “inalienable,” and there is no justifiable reason for denying women recruitment to the mentioned positions.
The plea further contended that the respondents (Centre and CISF) were engaged in institutional discrimination without a rational basis. It emphasized that the state cannot enact laws inconsistent with fundamental rights and, consequently, cannot frame rules inconsistent with or derogatory to these rights.
Case Title: Kush Kalra v. Union of India and Ors.