On 18th August the Supreme Court said that Women can sit for the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam – scheduled next for September 5 and can serve Indian Armed Forces.
The Supreme Court was responding to a petition filed by lawyer Kush Kalra which sought a direction to the concerned authorities to allow female candidates to appear for the examination at the National Defence Academy as the exclusion of female candidates was done based on gender.
The Supreme Court slammed “mindset problem”
The Supreme Court slammed the mindset problem saying that “This is a mindset problem. You (the government) better change it. don’t force us to pass orders.”
The top court said, adding, “This policy decision is based on gender discrimination. We direct the respondents to take a constructive view of the matter given the judgment of this court”.
*What the Supreme Court said to the Army?*
The Court said that “The endeavor is to persuade the Army to do things itself. We would prefer if the Army did some things itself, rather than us passing orders.”
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Justice expressed displeasure over this topic
A displeased Justice Kaul asked the Additional Solicitor General “Why are you continuing in this direction? Even after Justice Chandrachud’s judgment expanding the horizons and extending Permanent Commission in the Army to women? This is unfounded… We are finding it absurd!”
A division bench of Justice SK Kaul and Justice Hrishikesh Roy also expressed displeasure over women being excluded from this opportunity and not given equal chances despite its other verdicts on the matter.
