Editing Equal pay for equal work (section)

==== Constitutional protections ====
As part of its [[Directive Principles in India|Directive Principles of State Policy]], the [[Constitution of India]] through Article 39 envisages that all states ideally direct their policy towards securing equal pay for equal work for both men and women, and also ensuring that men and women have the right to an adequate means of livelihood. While these [[Directive Principles in India|Directive Principles]] are not enforceable by any court of law, they are crucial to the governance of the country and a state is duty bound to consider them while enacting laws.<ref name="Myth">{{cite book|last1=Devi|first1=Kovuru|title=Women's Equality in India: A Myth Or Reality?|date=January 1, 2000|isbn=81-7141-563-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LS8wJlfjUcUC|pages=49–50|publisher=Discovery Publishing House }}</ref>

While "equal pay for equal work" is not expressly a constitutional right, it has been read into the Constitution through the interpretation of Articles 14, 15 and 16 – which guarantee equality before the law, protection against discrimination and equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.<ref name="Myth"/><ref>{{cite web|title=The Constitution of India, Articles 14 - 16 |url=http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909230437/http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf |archive-date=2014-09-09 }}</ref> The [[Supreme Court of India]] has also declared this to be a constitutional goal, available to every individual and capable of being attained through the enforcement of their fundamental rights set out in Articles 14 through 16.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Union of India v. Dineshan K.K.|year=2008 |volume=1 |journal=SCC |page=586}}</ref> In a popular Supreme Court decision, the conditions of employment of the air-hostesses of Air India was challenged. The terms of employment required the mandatory retirement of females: (i) upon attaining the age of 33; (ii) if they were married within four years of service; or (iii) upon their first pregnancy. The court however struck down these provisions and held them to be arbitrary and discriminatory as it violated Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution.<ref>{{cite book|title=Air India vs. Nargesh Mirza|publisher=AIR 1981 SC 1829}}</ref>