It seems, Power distribution companies in Telangana don’t want to recruit women as field staff as they deem women would find it difficult to climb up electricity poles.

The Telangana High Court has directed a state power distribution company to conduct pole-climbing test for two women candidates, who cleared the written test for the post of junior lineman. The court gave the direction to the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana after its counsel informed the court that the state-run power utility did not want to engage women for field jobs such as lineman as they could not climb poles easily. However, some women candidates approached the High Court seeking permission to appear for the exam. Out of them, two cleared the written test.

The bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy wondered how women could be stopped from becoming ‘linewomen’ when even the armed forces were opening their doors to them.

The high court bench has now directed the power department officials to conduct a pole-climbing test for the women namely V Bharathi from Mahabubabad and Babburi Shirisha from Siddipet, within two weeks.

Interestingly, the power utilities had initially offered employment to women and even offering 33% reservation to them. They later reversed the decision, concerned over women’s pole climbing skills.

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