D K Aruna’s petition on postings for women dismissed in Supreme Court

Hyderabad: Dismissing the petition seeking appropriate orders for representation of women in eight state Cabinets including Telangana, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu observed that it would have been appropriate if women were inducted in these ministries.

The apex court refused to provide any relief by way of issuing orders directing the concerned Chief Ministers to include women in their Cabinets. It has said the Chief Ministers are free to choose their ministers and the courts cannot issue any direction in this regard.

A petition filed by former Minister D. K. Aruna contended that seven state Cabinets including Telangana, Delhi, Punjab, UP and three other states did not have single representation to women and it is for the court to issue appropriate direction to these states for inclusion of women.

Meenakshi Arora, senior Advocate representing the petitioner had argued that when women constitutes 50 per cent of the population and 50 per cent of all the local body posts are reserved for women, it is not proper for these seven state Cabinets to function without a representation for women.

However, the Bench headed by Justice H.L. Dattu and Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy held that the courts cannot give such a direction.

It observed that it would have been more appropriate if women get representation in the Cabinet like in other states.

Reacting over the rejection of her plea by Apex Court, former Minister D K Aruna said she was not disappointed with the dismissal of her petition, but the observation by the Court during hearing must be an eye opener for the Chief Ministers of respective States should now atleast go for include women in the Cabinets.

'Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao talks so much on women empowerment and the importance of bathukamma festival etc, atleast now he should include women in the cabinet, anyway I brought the issue of no women cabinets to the notice of entire country for which I am happy' she remarked.