Cármen Lúcia suspends Santa Catarina PM competition for limiting vacancies for women

The Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Cármen Lúcia suspended the public competition for the selection of officers and enlisted personnel of the Santa Catarina Military Police (PMSC). The measure was taken due to the limitation of 20% of places for women foreseen in the competition. The decision is preliminary and prohibits the publication of the final results and respective approvals of the competitions.

If disclosure has already occurred, it will not be possible to appoint or swear in those approved until the merits of the action are judged by the Court. The decision was signed on January 8, but was released this Friday (12). The minister accepted a request from the Attorney General’s Office (PGR). For the body, the state law that authorized the minimum reservation of 20% of vacancies in the police and Fire Department is unconstitutional.

“By limiting female participation in the public contest to a percentage of 20%, respecting the minimum required by Santa Catarina Law, the result produced does not promote, but rather weakens, the participation of women under equal conditions and goes against the need for material equality sought in the current constitutional system”, wrote Cármen Lúcia.

The minister forwarded the decision to the acting president of the STF, minister Edson Fachin, and requested that it be included in an extraordinary virtual session on the first date after the return of the Court’s regular activities.

In October last year, the PGR filed 14 lawsuits with the Supreme Court to challenge laws that limit the participation of women in public competitions for the Military Police and the Fire Department, reported Agência Brasil. In general, the restriction provided for in the notices is 10% for women. The actions question the limitation of vacancies for women provided for in regulations in the states of Amazonas, Ceará, Goiás, Maranhão, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, Pará, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sergipe and Tocantins.