A “sexist bias and service bias” wouldn’t be allowed to block women’s careers
Representational image (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: In a major relief for women naval officers, the Delhi high court on Friday allowed a bunch of petitions seeking permanent commissions, saying a “sexist bias and service bias” wouldn’t be allowed to block women’s careers.
The court, allowing the plea, said the “women are here to stay” and since they “work shoulder to shoulder” with men, it would “frown upon any endeavour to restrain the progress of women”.
The armed forces allow women permanent commissions in a few wings, with the Navy allowing it for officers who joined service from 2008 in the naval constructors, legal and education wings.
A bench of Justices Kailash Gambhir and Najmi Waziri also allowed women naval officers’ plea for retirement benefits like pensions. Women officers were not eligible for pensions as it required 20 years of service.
Defence sources said the Navy would react officially only after it had studied the judgment. The order came on the plea of several serving and retired women officers from the Navy’s logistics, education and air traffic control departments.
The women officers, in their pleas in the High Court, had sought similar rights as their counterparts in the other two wings of the armed forces — the Army and IAF. The petitioners alleged gender discrimination as women officers were only allowed short service commissions.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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