“March of the Nation”: The Supreme Court reinstates a female officer in the Indian Coast Guard in response to her request for permanent commission

On Monday, a panel of the Supreme Court criticized the government for taking a patriarchal stance in rejecting Priyanka Tyagi, a female officer in the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), a permanent appointment. The woman officer’s reinstatement in the ICG was mandated by the court.

“After informing ladies that they would not be let inside the pub, Cornelia Sorabji arrived. After we informed women that they were unfit to serve as commanders in the army, some of them enlisted. They became fighter pilots because they were not good enough to enlist in the Air Force. Because there were no female restrooms, they believed they were unfit to serve in the Navy, but they have since enlisted.

“This is the nation’s march, Coast Guard,” Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said.
The Attorney General, R Venkataramani, made the remarks after stating that the petitioner had misconstrued the Indian Coast Guard’s functions in comparison to those of the Indian Navy and Indian Army, and that the ICG is willing to induct women at different levels.

The AG asked the court to continue hearing the case next week, citing the lack of infrastructure and clarifying that it is not an issue of permanent or short-term service access.

The position made by Priyanka Tyagi’s attorney, senior advocate Archana Pathak Dave, that the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard are all under the Ministry of Defence and that there must be equity and parity was accepted by the Supreme Court panel.

The Supreme Court had on February 12 sought the Center’s response to a petition by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) officer seeking parity with male officers for permanent absorption, which is denied to women officers under the current rules. On February 26, the court warned the Center, stating, “Either you give permanent commission to women in Coast Guard or we will.”

After being granted any temporary respite by the Delhi High Court on December 21, 2023, Tyagi’s 14-year stint as an SSA officer came to an end on December 30. She was then discharged from service.
Dave emphasized the Constitution’s guarantee of the basic right to equality.

She maintained that women in the Coast Guard ought to have equal access to possibilities for advancement and commissioning as officers, just as they do in the Army.

The Center was recently chastised by the court for adopting a “patriarchal” stance over women’s permanent commission in the Coast Guard. The judges questioned why, given that the Army and Navy had already put the policy into effect, the force should be different.

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud headed a bench that said that women could safeguard the beaches just as well as the borders, adding that the government’s constant talk of “women power” needed to be matched by action.