LI Network
Published on: February 27, 2024 at 15:10 IST
Supreme Court said that, women cannot be excluded and must be granted permanent commission in the Indian Coast Guard. The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, made this assertion while considering the Attorney General’s submissions regarding operational challenges in granting permanent commissions to Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs).
Dismissing arguments about operational difficulties, Chief Justice Chandrachud firmly stated, “All these functionality etc. arguments do not hold water in the year 2024. Women cannot be left out. If you do not do it, we will do it. So take a look at that.” The Attorney General informed the bench about the establishment of a board by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to address related issues.
The bench emphasized the necessity of female representation on the board and scheduled the plea for further hearing on Friday due to time constraints. Earlier, the court had stressed the need for a fair policy treating women equally in the maritime force.
The case was brought before the court by Indian Coast Guard officer Priyanka Tyagi, seeking permanent commission for eligible women short-service commission officers. The bench questioned why Tyagi’s case had not been considered and directed the Coast Guard to devise an inclusive policy.
Previously, the court had urged the Centre to adopt a gender-neutral policy and questioned the patriarchal approach, emphasizing that women should not be marginalized in the Coast Guard. Despite the provision for a 10% permanent commission for women officers, the bench questioned the rationale behind such limitations, asserting that women should not be considered lesser human beings.
The Supreme Court’s stance underscores the importance of gender equality and the imperative to ensure women’s representation and empowerment in all sectors, including defense forces.