The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central government on a plea challenging 90% reservation for male candidates in the Army Dental Corps (ADC) [Dr Gopika Nair vs Union of India & Ors.].A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Saurabh Banerjee also ordered a stay on declaration of results of the ongoing recruitment and listed the matter for further consideration on December 12, 2022..The plea, filed by affected dentists, pointed out that out of 30 total vacancies, the Army has reserved 27 seats for men and only 3 for women. Further, it was submitted that while males till NEET rank of 2,934 have been called for interviews in ADC, women only till the rank of 235 are eligible.The recruitment in ADC was gender-neutral till last year, it was submitted When rules allow both males and females to join, the recruitment cannot be made amenable to reservation for men, which is prohibited by Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution. Recent Supreme Court decisions directing equality in job opportunities in the defence services, barring combat arms, were also cited..On October 17, on a similar petition filed by Dr Satbir Kaur, who was also personally aggrieved, the Punjab and Haryana High Court too issued notice to the Central Government. It had further directed that the petitioner should be provisionally interviewed by the respondents and the recruitment would be subject to the final decision in the petition. Advocates K Parameshwar and MV Mukunda appeared for the petitioner.Central Government Standing Counsel Kirtiman Singh, and advocates Waize Ali Noor, Kunjala Bhardwaj, and Major Partho Katyayan represented the respondents..[Read Order]
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central government on a plea challenging 90% reservation for male candidates in the Army Dental Corps (ADC) [Dr Gopika Nair vs Union of India & Ors.].A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Saurabh Banerjee also ordered a stay on declaration of results of the ongoing recruitment and listed the matter for further consideration on December 12, 2022..The plea, filed by affected dentists, pointed out that out of 30 total vacancies, the Army has reserved 27 seats for men and only 3 for women. Further, it was submitted that while males till NEET rank of 2,934 have been called for interviews in ADC, women only till the rank of 235 are eligible.The recruitment in ADC was gender-neutral till last year, it was submitted When rules allow both males and females to join, the recruitment cannot be made amenable to reservation for men, which is prohibited by Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution. Recent Supreme Court decisions directing equality in job opportunities in the defence services, barring combat arms, were also cited..On October 17, on a similar petition filed by Dr Satbir Kaur, who was also personally aggrieved, the Punjab and Haryana High Court too issued notice to the Central Government. It had further directed that the petitioner should be provisionally interviewed by the respondents and the recruitment would be subject to the final decision in the petition. Advocates K Parameshwar and MV Mukunda appeared for the petitioner.Central Government Standing Counsel Kirtiman Singh, and advocates Waize Ali Noor, Kunjala Bhardwaj, and Major Partho Katyayan represented the respondents..[Read Order]