Syllabus: GS-I
Subject: Society and Social Justice
Topic: Issues of women
Issue: Women in Armed Forces
Context: Supreme Court order upholding the rights of a woman Permanent Commissioner Officer in the Military Nursing Service who was discharged for getting married.
Synopsis:
- “Terminating employment because the woman has got married is a coarse case of gender discrimination and inequality. Laws and regulations based on gender-based bias are constitutionally impermissible.” – Supreme Court.
- The rule against marriage was applicable only to women nursing officers and is “ex facie manifestly arbitrary” violating Article 14 of the constitution.
Related Case Law(Mains): Ministry of Defence v Babita Puniya & Ors
- In this case, the Supreme court had directed that women officers in the army be granted permanent commission.
