Sophia Kunjipalu, a housemaid at Irinjalakkuda, plans to have a change of job, starting next month. On November 1, she will become an employee at a toddy shop at Ponjanam under Irinjalakkuda range. It's a revolutionary step for a woman who fought a legal battle to annul a rule that banned women from being employed at toddy shops.

The Kerala High Court has struck down Rule 7(37) of the Kerala Abkari Shops Disposal Rules, 2002, which prohibits the employment of women in any capacity in a toddy shop. For Sophia, who does odd jobs in households to take care of her daughter and son, the legal fight was a matter of her livelihood and right to employment.

Her husband Kunjipalu was employed as a manager at the toddy shop. When he died of a heart attack in 2024, Sophia approached the licensee with a request to be employed at the toddy shop. It was turned down, citing the rule.

"I thought I should fight it. My union members gave me support. Many women wish to enter this field, and I hope this verdict will pave the way," she told Onmanorama. Her daughter is a CA student while his son is a Class 11 student. Sophia said every job has its risks as far as women are concerned. "I have to raise my children, and a woman would take any risk to get it done. I wanted this job, and I am getting calls from other women who are willing to take up jobs in toddy shops," said Sophia, who studied a lab technician course.

At the toddy shop, Sophia will be in charge of the stock register at the godown. Her timings will be from 8.30 am to 5 pm. Ranjith Thampan, who represented Sophia in the High Court, said that it was a classic instance of a woman breaking the male barrier. "The High Court had earlier struck down a similar rule in Foreign Liquor Rules," he said.

Sophia questioned the constitutional validity of the 2002 rules. The government opposed her plea, citing that the rule was meant to protect women from being exploited and subjected to any sort of harassment at the workplace. The government pleader pointed out that toddy shops are often situated at very remote places and that the rule-making authority was bound to ensure that women are not employed in such toddy shops to ensure their safety and well-being. It was also cited that a Division Bench of the High Court had taken the view that women could be excluded from consideration for the post of Night Watchman.

The licensee's counsel said that there was a structural difference between a toddy shop and a foreign liquor shop and that in a foreign liquor shop there is no loose sale of liquor, and the problems that may arise in toddy shops may not arise in a foreign liquor shop.

High Court Justice Gopinath P declared that Rule 7(37) of the 2002 Rules is unconstitutional and violative of Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution. Sophia said her biggest encouragement came from her son. "I asked him if he was okay to tell everyone that his mother is going to work in a toddy shop. He said he doesn't care. Every job has its dignity," said Sophia.

Ajith Babu, General Secretary, Kerala Toddy Licensees Association, told Onmanorama that the verdict is appreciable and that they welcome women to be employed at toddy shops.