Judgment

Tarun Chatterjee, J.—Pursuant to an advertisement issued at the instance of the Banking Services Recruitment Board, Chennai (in short “the “Board”) in the Employment Newspaper dated 9-15th October, 1999 inviting applications for the post of Probationary Officers in Indian Overseas Banks, the Writ Petitioner, who is a visually handicapped lady, applied for the said post. The requisite qualifications for eligibility were:

(a) A degree from a recognized ‘University or any qualification recognized as equivalent by Government of India.

(b) Not below 21 years and above 30 years.

2. It is not in dispute that the writ petitioner fulfilled both the requirements. The writ petitioner had sent her application along with a demand draft. While filling up the said application form, the writ petitioner mentioned that she was a blind candidate so that the Board could make adequate arrangement of a scribe for her during the entrance test as is normally done. Unfortunately, the application of the writ petitioner for writing the examination, as stated above, was returned with the following order:

“As we do not recruit blind candidates for the post of Probationary Officers, your application is reje