Amending Rules To Recruit Women As Constables In CISF: Centre To Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has been informed by the Central Government that it is considering introducing measures to allow the recruitment of women to the positions of Constable/Driver and Constable/Driver-cum-Pump Operator (Driver for Fire Services) in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), on an equal basis with men.

The government also mentioned that similar changes are being contemplated for other paramilitary organisations. The government has requested a period of eight weeks to complete the process of amending the recruitment rules.

Delhi HC Orders Recruiting Women:

The statement was made in response to a petition alleging "institutional discrimination" against women in the recruitment of constables and drivers in the CISF. The government counsel informed the court that a proposal had already been forwarded by the CISF on March 23 to amend the Recruitment Rules to provide for the recruitment of women for the aforementioned positions. The court recorded this information and noted that similar amendments were being made for the recruitment rules of other paramilitary organisations.

The court accepted the Centre’s statement and scheduled further consideration of the matter for August 29. The petitioner, Kush Kalra, had approached the high court in 2018 after discovering that an advertisement issued by the CISF only invited applications from male candidates for these positions.

The plea argued that women's rights were an essential and indivisible part of human rights and that there was no justification for excluding women from these positions. The petitioner asserted that the Centre and the CISF were engaged in institutional discrimination without any justification and that this discrimination could not pass muster with the SC's ruling on the "reasonable basis for treating equals differently" test. The plea sought a directive to recruit women on an equal basis with men in the CISF and also requested information about the steps taken by the CISF towards achieving gender equality.

The Central Government has informed the Delhi High Court that it is considering introducing provisions to recruit women to certain positions in the CISF and other paramilitary organizations, aiming to address allegations of discrimination. The court has acknowledged the government's statement and scheduled further proceedings to review the matter.

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