New Delhi: SC affirms that, the actual empowerment of the women can be achieved only through economic empowerment of women. And this will be allowing them to achieve the equal status with the men as also granted in the constitutional provisions.
Honourable Supreme Court of India’s bench comprising of Justice A. K. Sikri and Justice M. Sapre was considering the matter of Richa Mishra and while directing the Chhattisgarh government to appoint her Deputy Superintendent of Police, the court stated that to achieve equality between genders, the concerned State Government, should take affirmative policy actions.
Also, as per Bench, in the case of Richa Mishra, the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997 read with State Services Examination Rules, 2003 would get attracted. And the said rules of 1997 make specific provisions for allowing age relaxation upto 10 years, the benefit of which is to given to the women candidates.
Also, it was underlined by this bench that the women are no longer passive recipients of welfare- enhancing, however, they are now being seen as active agent of change by men. As such, it was acknowledged by the Court that the economic empowerment of the women is the need of the hour.
It was also considered by SC that Women’s real empowerment would be achieved, when they would be enjoying the rights guaranteed to them, and as such their economic empowerment can also be achieved simultaneously. And for their empowerment, the Public employment of women is the need of hour.
Moreover, rather than just giving better treatment to them, the focus has now shifted to economic empowerment of women. Also, it was noted by the court that to drive down an equality between men and women, the development alone can play a major role, and it was noted by citing a study of Noble laureate Amarty Sen.
Thus, as per the bench of Apex Court, soon the women will be empowered, they will be equipped to be economically independent, self- reliant, with positive esteem to enable them to face any situation and moreover, they will be able to take part in the development activities.
Adv. Faim Khalilkhan Pathan