New Delhi: The Delhi high court  on Wednesday  sought the Centre's response on a plea alleging “institutional discrimination” against women in recruitment for constables and drivers in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

 A two-judge bench of  Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar issued notices to the Centre and the the force on a petition, which alleged that the force had advertised only for male candidates for posts of constable/driver and “constable/driver-cum-pump operator for fire services”.

The plea filed by Kush Kalra through advocate Charu Walikhanna said the rights of women were an integral and indivisible part of human rights.

It said that the respondents (Centre and CISF) are practising institutional bias without any rationale basis depriving women the right to serve the country in the aforementioned posts.

The state cannot enact any law which is inconsistent with or in derogation of fundamental rights and as a consequence thereof, the respondents cannot frame any law or rules or bye laws or regulations for its functioning, which is not consistent in or with fundamental rights.

 The petition said there was no rationale for not recruiting women for posts of constable/driver and constable/driver-cum-pump-operator for the fire services in the CISF.  While seeking a direction to recruit women to the posts on par with men, the plea also sought to know the steps were taken by CISF towards gender equality.

It said: "Direct respondents (Centre and CISF) to inform this Court as to what steps it has taken towards Gender Equality in all posts in CISF."