Judgement

Special Leave granted.

2. 1981 was declared the International Year for the physically handicapped persons. The Government of India and various State Governments decided, among other things, to make suitable provision for reservation of posts in Government service for physically handicapped persons. But, apparently, it is one thing to express a determination to do a thing and another to do it. It appears there is always a gap between pronouncement and performance. Hurdles appeared in the way of giving effect to the policy of reservation of a few. posts for physically handicapped persons. Only the other day we had to interfere at the instance of a physically handicapped person to secure him the post which he was entitled to get. That was a case from Uttar Pradesh. The present case is from Punjab. As far back as 1973, the Government of Punjab had announced its policy to rehabilitate physically handicapped persons by giving priority to them in the matter of appointment to Government posts. In 1982 the Government of Punjab decided to reserve 3% of the posts in Class III and Class IV to physically handicapped persons and conveyed their decision to all Heads of departments, Commis