Delhi High Court Orders Recruitment Of Women In Territorial Army

According to The Delhi High Court, women can now be recruited in the Territorial Army (TA). It said that any provision that bars them is ultra vires fundamental rights provided under the Constitution.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the words "any person" in section 6 of the TA Act, shall include both men and women.

The Territorial Army is the second line of defence after the regular Army. Terrestrial Army is an organisation of volunteers who get military training in order to be mobilised for the country's defence in case of an emergency.

The court also specified that any provision of the Act which bars or bans recruitment of women into the Terrestrial Army would be ultra vires the fundamental rights of equality provided under the Constitution.

Also read: India women army officers talk about the hurdles they face

The court gave its ruling after lawyer Kush Kalra filed a PIL alleging discrimination against women in recruitment in the Terrestrial Army. Actors like Mohanlal and cricketers Kapil Dev and M S Dhoni are honorary members holding senior ranks in the forces.

The petitioner had alleged in his plea "institutionalised discrimination" against women since recruitment of women in the Terrestrial Army was not there.

Other Positive Measures

 In June last year, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said that the process to include women in combat is moving on quickly and the new recruits initially will be a part of the Military Police.

 The Indian Army also decided to appoint as many as 800 women jawans in the military police in September in 2017. The idea was to bring the much-needed balance in the sector.

Such measures will go a long way in breaking gender borders in the force.

Picture By: IndiaTV

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