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New Delhi. Stressing on gender equality in the armed forces, the Delhi High Court (Delhi High Court ) on Tuesday said while a woman officer can be posted in Siachen, a man can be appointed as a nurse in the army. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjiv Narula was hearing a petition regarding the alleged unconstitutional practice of appointing only women nurses in military establishments.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Central Government, said that the practices in the Army are based on long-standing traditions. However, he said that the government has just brought a law to give 33 percent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bench said, “Yes, in Parliament…on one hand you are talking about empowering women and on the other hand you are saying that men cannot be appointed as nurses. If a woman (officer) can be deployed in Siachen, a man can work in the R&R (hospital).”
There should be no gender bias: HC
The bench also said that the Supreme Court has allowed women to join the National Defense Academy (NDA) and has repeatedly held that there should be no gender bias. Bhati told the bench that the central government has filed its reply in this matter. Advocate Amit George, appearing for the petitioner ‘Indian Professional Nurses Association’, said that now all hospitals have male nurses and even the apex court has said that the practice of discrimination on the basis of gender in services has no basis in the Army. There is no space.
HC had sought answers from the Center
Earlier, the High Court had sought a response from the Central Government on a petition challenging the ‘illegal practice’ of appointing only women nurses in the Army. The association, in its petition, has said that there are several thousand trained and qualified male nurses in India and not appointing them to the Army Nursing Corps is ‘unfair and unconstitutional as it deprives them of opportunities for employment and professional advancement.’ The petition, filed through lawyers George and Rishabh Dhir, said, “The said practice also deprives the army and the country of committed professionals.”
