IAF recruitment ad: HC notice to Centre on plea against 89% quota for men

The HC bench of acting chief justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Lapita Banerji, while hearing the plea from Captain Sukhjit Pal Kaur Sanewal (retd) from Punjab, sought the Centre’s response by May 22. Capt Sahnewal was among the first women officers recruited to the Indian Army under the Women Special Entry Scheme.

The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) on Thursday sought response from the Centre on a plea challenging the recruitment notification that extended 89% reservation to men for Short Service Commission posts in ground duty branches of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

As per the plea, although both male and female candidates are eligible to apply for the posts advertised in December 2023, only 11% of the 279 spots were kept for female candidates while 89% were reserved for men. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The HC bench of acting chief justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Lapita Banerji, while hearing the plea from Captain Sukhjit Pal Kaur Sanewal (retd) from Punjab, sought the Centre’s response by May 22.

Capt Sahnewal was among the first women officers recruited to the Indian Army under the Women Special Entry Scheme.

As per the plea, although both male and female candidates are eligible to apply for the posts advertised in December 2023, only 11% of the 279 spots were kept for female candidates while 89% were reserved for men.

The plea termed the move a case of “extreme gender discrimination” and further added that it was in violation of the Fundamental Rights enshrined under Article 15 (prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth), Article 16 (equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the state) and Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution.

The plea demanded that the employment notice of December 1, 2023, wherein this reservation has been spelt out, is put in abeyance and the final merit list prepared pursuant to the advertisement is not effected.

“Constitutional principles permit special laws and favourable dispensation with positive discrimination for women where reservation for vacancies can definitely be effected for women, the respondents have turned the said hallowed constitutional principle on its head and indulged in gender discrimination which has no place in modern India,” the plea underlined.

The action would result in male applicants with much lower total marks being called for the appointment while women with much higher total score would not be called due to this reservation, the plea added demanding HC intervention.