Women in security services : a (post) feminist reading of Lt Col Nitisha v Union of India

Shukla, Anshuman, Mukherjee, Sayan and Ray, Ipsita (2025) Women in security services : a (post) feminist reading of Lt Col Nitisha v Union of India. Indian Law Review. ISSN 2473-0599

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Abstract

The role of women in Indian security services was debated in the recent judgement, Lt Col Nitisha v Union of India. The Supreme Court invalidated the impugned selection criteria and their retrospective application upon female staff as instances of indirect discrimination. This case note identifies three major implications regarding the gendered nature of the debate. Firstly, the Court’s findings reveal that the government adopted certain strategic modes of postfeminist governmentality to utilize the discourse of women empowerment for departmental ends. Secondly, popular readings of the judgement risk being reduced to postfeminist cultural sensibilities, which romanticize individualistic agency and manufacture isolated struggling heroes to eventually dull the cross-sectoral feminist solidarity. Lastly, the Court’s progressive doctrinal turn still construed women officials as mere employees-beneficiaries mostly claiming careerist interests. It abandoned any holistic appraisal of the role of women in military service, thereby articulating an impoverished account of female agency, dignity, and personhood.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: Ethics of care | feminist solidarity | indirect discrimination | military and security services | postfeminism | realism | dignity rights
Subjects: Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Gender Studies
Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Social Sciences (General)
Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Law and Legal Studies
Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Political Science
Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Development
JGU School/Centre: Jindal Global Law School
Depositing User: Mr. Gautam Kumar
Date Deposited: 05 Aug 2025 10:39
Last Modified: 05 Aug 2025 10:39
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/24730580.2025.2541511
URI: https://pure.jgu.edu.in/id/eprint/9930

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