Real empowerment of women can be achieved only through economic empowerment, said the Supreme Court. A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Abhay M Sapre made the observation while allowing the appeal of a woman excise officer who was denied appointment as Deputy Superintendent of Police by Chhattisgarh government. <br/><br/>State Government said that she had crossed the age-limit required for the post. In it's 38-page verdict, the bench directed the state government to appoint Richa Mishra as the Deputy Superintendent of Police.<br/><br/>Women still have a long way to go to achieve a status equal to men as granted by the Constitution, said Apex Court. The bench said that women are no longer passive recipients of welfare-enhancing help, but are increasingly seen as active agents of change that can alter the lives of both women and men.