Recruitment of Station Masters:

The Supreme Court on Friday (July 11) granted leave to proceed with a fundamental rights petition filed by two women challenging gender-based restrictions that prevent women from serving as heads of railway stations.

The case was taken up before a three-judge bench consisting of Justices A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Priyantha Fernando, and Sampath Wijeratne.

The petitioners, represented by Attorney-at-Law Nuwan Bopage, argued that a gazette notification issued by the Railways Department on June 13, advertising 106 vacancies for the post of Station Maste, had explicitly limited eligibility to male candidates.

The counsel for the petitions informed the court that the restrictions in question violated the petitioners’ fundamental rights under Articles 12(1) and 12(2) of the Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law and prohibit gender-based discrimination. He further submitted that the regulation also infringed upon the women’s right to seek employment of their choice.

The petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to declare their rights were violated and order the removal of the questionable clause from the gazette.The court is scheduled to take up the petition for hearing on August 27.