Give women permanent commissions, or we’ll: Indian Coast Guard to Supreme Court

Women cannot be excluded from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in 2024, according to the Supreme Court, which on Monday ordered the Center to make sure that women were given permanent commission in the ICG.

“In 2024, none of the current concerns about functionality make sense. Women must be included. You must do it, or we will. So, look at that,” Attorney General R Venkataramani was told by a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud after the Center submitted that the Indian Coast Guard differs functionally from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and that’s why women officers aren’t eligible for permanent commissions.

When the Bench heard Priyanka Tyagi, an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) officer seeking a permanent commission via a Short Service Appointment (SSA), they observed, “It may be completely different but you must have women.”

“You must have women on board,” the Bench said as Venkataramani described how the ICG had established a board to investigate the problems.

The issue was postponed for further hearing on Friday by the Bench, which had said on February 22 that “we will see that Justice is done for women in ICG.” “You mention ‘nari shakti,’ or the power of women.” Show it here now. at this regard, you are at the deep end of the sea. The Bench had previously said that the ICG needed to develop a gender-neutral policy that treated women “fairly” and added, “You must come up with a policy which treats women fairly.”

It had inquired as to why, whereas the Navy was providing permanent commissions to its female officers, the ICG was not. “Why do you act in such a patriarchal manner? “You do not wish to view the faces of women in the Coast Guard?” Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, speaking on behalf of the ICG, was questioned by the Bench.

After serving as Assistant Commandant (General Duty-Women) in 2009, petitioner Priyanka Tyagi advanced to the rank of Deputy Commandant (GD) in 2015 and eventually became a Commandant (JG) in 2021.

She requested permanent absorption in 2021, but a year later, it was returned unfulfilled. The Ministry of Defence said that the ICG was not covered by its letter from February 25, 2019, which was in reference to the permanent absorption of female officers. Tyagi was discharged from service in December 2023 after the Delhi High Court denied her request for temporary respite, stating that she would be eligible for reinstatement should she win the case.

On February 17, 2020, the Supreme Court issued a historic decision directing the permanent commissioning of Women Short Service Commission officials. The Center’s argument that their physiological limits are the result of “sex stereotypes” and “gender discrimination against women” was rejected by a bench headed by Justice Chandrachud.

Noting that female officers are just as capable as their male colleagues at sea, the Supreme Court ruled on March 17, 2020, that officers of both sexes must get the same treatment when granted permanent commissions in the Navy.