A319 CAPTAIN DISPUTES MAINT CTLR'S INTERPRETATION OF A CABIN ATT'S POCKET PENLIGHT BEING THE DISPATCH 'EQUIVALENT' TO AN INOPERATIVE EMERGENCY EXIT FLASHLIGHT.

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FLT ATTENDANT FOUND EMER FLASHLIGHT INOP DURING SAFETY CHKS. MAINT CTL DEFERRED. SPEC NOTES SAY; 'MAY BE INOP OR MISSING PROVIDED: A) CREW MEMBER ASSIGNED TO ASSOCIATED SEAT HAS A FLASHLIGHT WITH EQUIVALENT CHARACTERISTICS READILY AVAILABLE.' FLT ATTENDANTS ALL HAD REQUIRED SMALL PENLIGHT; HOWEVER; THESE DID NOT HAVE 'EQUIVALENT CHARACTERISTICS.' I CALLED MAINT CTL TO DISCUSS THIS. MAINT CTL'S REPLY WAS; 'IF IT HAS A LIGHT THAT TURNS ON AND OFF; IT'S EQUIVALENT.' I EXPLAINED TO MAINT CTL THAT A SMALL PENLIGHT AND AN ACFT EMER FLASHLIGHT WERE NOT EQUIVALENT. MAINT CTL RESPONSE WAS; 'IT'S DAYLIGHT IT DOESN'T MATTER.' WHILE MAINT CTL WAS CORRECT ABOUT IT BEING DAYLIGHT NOW; OUR ARR TIME WOULD BE IN THE DARK. ALSO; MEL DOES NOT ADDRESS DAYLIGHT VERSUS DARKNESS. THIS IS A CLR CASE OF ATTEMPTED PLT PUSHING. THE MAINT CTLR THEN PROCEEDED TO PUT INCORRECT INFO IN THE OFFICIAL MAINT RELEASE. HE STATED; 'UPDATE ON ACCOUNT OF FLT ATTENDANTS NOT HAVING THEIR REQUIRED EQUIP OF FLASHLIGHTS.' THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID INDEED; AS I STATED TO MAINT CTL HAVE THEIR REQUIRED EQUIP. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS EQUIP WAS NOT OF 'EQUIVALENT CHARACTERISTICS.' CONTRACT MAINT BROUGHT US A FLASHLIGHT WITH 'EQUIVALENT CHARACTERISTICS.' IN MY OPINION; MAINT CTL'S ACTIONS IN THIS SITUATION ARE BALANCING PRECARIOUSLY ON A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE.