Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud today took a firm stance against a recent West Bengal government notification that suggested women doctors in state-run hospitals should be exempt from night shifts. The notification, issued after the tragic rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, was criticized by the Chief Justice, who emphasized that the government’s responsibility is to ensure security for women, not limit their opportunities.
CJI Calls for Amendment of Notification
During a hearing, CJI Chandrachud directed the West Bengal government to amend the controversial notification. He firmly questioned the rationale behind restricting women from working night shifts, stating, “How can you say women cannot work at night? Why limit women doctors? They don’t want a concession… women are ready to work in the same shift.”
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Addressing Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented the Mamata Banerjee government, the Chief Justice underscored the importance of providing security rather than limiting work opportunities for women. “Mr. Sibal, you have to look at it. The answer to it is that you must give security. West Bengal should correct the notification. Your duty is to provide security, you cannot say that women cannot work at night. Pilots, Army, etc. all work at night,” the CJI remarked.
Potential Career Impact on Women Doctors
The Supreme Court bench, headed by CJI Chandrachud, raised concerns that such restrictions could harm the career progression of women doctors. Preventing them from taking night shifts could create unfair limitations on their professional growth. In response to the court’s observations, Kapil Sibal assured that the clause in question, which restricts night shifts for women doctors, would be deleted from the notification.
Protests and Government’s Response
The notification came in the wake of widespread protests across the country, following the horrific rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar Medical College. The incident sparked outrage, with demands for better protection of women in the medical profession and beyond.
To address the public outcry, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s principal advisor, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, announced a new initiative aimed at ensuring the safety of women doctors working in hospitals across West Bengal.
New Safety Measures for Women Doctors
In light of the concerns raised by the tragic incident, Mr. Bandyopadhyay outlined several measures designed to bolster the security of women doctors in medical institutions. He stated that women-friendly security personnel would be deployed at all medical colleges and hospitals to create a safer environment for female staff. In addition, arrangements for regular night patrolling by local police at medical institutions would be made.
“Shifts will be arranged in such a manner that in case of night duties, the women doctors can function in pairs,” Bandyopadhyay explained. He also noted that private healthcare centers had been urged to adopt similar security guidelines to ensure uniform safety standards across both public and private hospitals.
