‘You speak of Nari Shakti, now show it here’: Supreme Court raps Centre over woman coast guard officer’s plea

The court pointed out that the Army and Navy had already implemented the policy. (File photo/PTI)

The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Centre over the denial of the Permanent Commission to a woman officer serving in the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The top court criticised the government’s “patriarchal attitude” and questioned its vision and advocacy of ‘Nari Shakti’.

The bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, hearing a plea of a woman officer in the Short Service Commission, asked if the Union was taking “a patriarchal approach” despite the extensive rulings by the Apex Court on the issue of granting Permanent Commission to women officers in defence services, Live Law reported.

The bench asked why the force should be different when the Army and Navy have already implemented the policy.

Stating that if women can protect the borders they can also protect the coasts, a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud also said that the government keeps speaking of “women power” and it was time that it showed its commitment.

“You speak of ‘Nari Shakti Nari Shakti,’ now show it here. You are at the deep end of the sea here. I don’t think the Coast Guard can say they can fall out of line when the Army and Navy have done it all. You all have not read the Babita Punia judgment so far,” the bench remarked.

In the Babita Punia judgement, the top court had held that women Short Service Commission officers are entitled to a Permanent Commission on par with their male counterparts.

The bench’s observations on Monday were made after Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Vikramjit Banerjee, who was appearing for the Centre, told the bench that the Coast Guard have a different stream of operations compared to other defence forces.

A plea has been filed by Priyanka Tyagi, a short service appointment (SSA) officer, who had been denied the opportunity to be considered for the Permanent Commission even after serving 14 years with an impeccable record.

In her plea, she stated, “As of the present date, the Petitioner has the highest flying hours as per her seniority in all the forces, including male and female, i.e., 4500 hours on the Dornier Aircraft and has heroically saved more than 300 lives at sea.”

Her plea further detailed how the board, which was to decide on granting a Permanent Commission to the SSA women officers in the Indian Coast Guard, was cancelled.