The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Central Government and the Indian Air Force (IAF), seeking their responses on a petition advocating for the commissioning of women into vacant posts in the IAF’s flying branch. The petition was filed by a woman applicant, who argued that competent women should be considered for these roles, especially when male candidates have not filled them.
Justice Rekha Palli, leading the bench that also includes Justice Shalinder Kaur, has expressed a hope that the IAF will approach the matter impartially. The petitioner, aspiring to become a pilot, highlighted a gap in recruitment practices following an advertisement released on May 17, 2023, which indicated a limited number of slots available for female candidates in the flying branch.
Despite fulfilling the stringent criteria set by the IAF, the petitioner’s application was overlooked because the designated slots for women had already been filled, even though other vacancies remained. This situation prompted the legal challenge, focusing on why these remaining positions couldn’t be filled by qualified female applicants.
The counsel for the petitioner emphasized that their client is not disputing the initial advertisement but is contesting the rationale behind not utilizing capable women to fill the persistently vacant posts.
The court adjourned the matter, with a scheduled hearing on September 27, leaving room for the IAF to reassess its recruitment policies concerning women.
