HC takes suo motu action over posting of women inspectors

Taking serious note of women police inspectors not being posted in the Civil Supplies Criminal Investigation Department, the Madras High Court today initiated suo motu proceedings into the matter while holding that the approach adopted in connection with the postings was unacceptable.
When the matter came up today, the high court said, "We thus feel that this is an issue which should be examined by this court suo motu."
In a letter dated October 22 last, the DGP (CSCID) had said, "As women inspectors had not been inducted into CSCID since its inception in 1964, the DGP, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, has been requested to reconsider the postings to CSCID, and thus not to relieve women sub-inspectors to CSCID till further order."

Additional Advocate General C Manishankar produced records before the bench to show the letter was replaced by another one, datedOctober 5 last.
However, the bench said that on October 18 last, via another direction, women inspectors were posted to different departments outside the CSCID.
The AAG also said that besides unwillingness of all women police personnel to work in CSCID, physical fitness was also a cause.

In response, the court said it found it difficult to countenance this and directed the respondents to file their counter affidavits within two weeks explaining their position in respect of each of the candidate who has been promoted.

The AAG further said the DGP, CSCID on November 6, 2013, had already statedthat women officers would not be in a position to travel the entire jurisdiction of revenue districts and conduct raids at odd hours.
"We find the aforesaid approach completely unacceptable in the current day situation, where there is a permanent commission for women even in armed forces and are concerned by the approach adopted by the said officer."
"In this context, GO (Government Order) dated October 19, 2005 be also produced before us to verify its validity in law, apparently seeking to debar women officers," the high court said and posted the case toDecember 13.