KOCHI: The Supreme Court’s ultimatum to the Central government to grant permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Coast Guard is in line with the court’s view that gender discrimination in whatever form cannot be tolerated. The court’s loud message – that it will issue a favourable order if the government doesn’t – was delivered during the hearing of a petition moved by Indian Coast Guard officer Priyanka Tyagi on February 26. The bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud rejected outright Attorney General R Venkataramani’s explanation that there were “functional and operational difficulties” in granting permanent commissions to women, saying such excuses won’t wash anymore. “All these functionality etc argument does not hold water in 2024. Women cannot be left out. If you do not do it, we will do it,” the CJI told the government’s top law officer.Coast Guard caught off-guardPetitioner Priyanka Tyagi had an illustrious career with the Coast Guard. She joined as an assistant commandant in 2009 and was promoted to deputy commandant 2015. Tyagi was part of the first-ever all-women crew on Dornier aircraft deployed in 2016 in the Eastern Region for maritime patrolling. “The petitioner has 4,500 flying hours on Dornier, the highest flying hours as per her seniority in all the forces, including male and female, and has heroically saved over 300 lives at sea,” the petition said.With such impressive credentials under her belt, she wrote the mid-career professional examination for promotion as commandant and cleared the test, with two of her superiors recommending her permanent absorption in 2021 when she completed 12 years in service. However, defence ministry officials blocked it saying there is no provision for permanent absorption for women in the Short Service Appointment (SSA) in the Coast Guard. The petition notes that there was no discrimination between women and male SSAs till November 2009. But on November 13, 2009, the government notified the Assistant Commandant Woman (General Duty) Short Service Recruitment Rules stipulating that “women officers shall not have the option to change over to permanent entry scheme.”
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