2016 Supreme(J&K) 110
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR
N. Paul Vasantha Kumar, Dhiraj Singh Thakur, JJ.
Anil Kumar Sharma - Appellant
Versus
Union of India and Ors. – Respondents
LPA No. 167 of 2014
Decided On: 28-05-2016
For the Appellant : Z.A. Qureshi, Rehana
For the Respondent: S.A. Makroo, Ajaz Bedar
Headnote:
Persons with Disabilities - Selection and Appointment - Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 - Section 33 - Summary: The court addressed the issue of selection and appointment of physically challenged persons under the Persons with Disabilities Act, emphasizing the reservation of not less than 3% of vacancies for persons with disabilities, including blind, deaf, and orthopedically disabled individuals. The court held that a person with 100% deafness is eligible for appointment under the Act, and the Circular issued in 2013 cannot restrict the eligibility criteria. The court directed the authorities to accommodate the appellant as a Fireman in a vacant post or replace the appointed respondent with the appellant, as the appellant had established the right to be selected under the physically disabled quota.
Fact of the Case:
The appellant, a 100% deaf person, applied for the post of Fireman reserved for physically handicapped persons. Despite passing all tests, he was not selected, and the Writ Court upheld the non-selection based on the appellant's dual disability of 100% deafness and dumbness.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the appellant, being 100% deaf, is eligible for appointment under the Persons with Disabilities Act, and the Circular issued in 2013 cannot restrict the eligibility criteria. The court directed the authorities to accommodate the appellant as a Fireman in a vacant post or replace the appointed respondent with the appellant.
Issues: The issues involved the eligibility of a 100% deaf person for appointment under the physically disabled quota, the applicability of the Circular issued in 2013, and the obligation of the authorities to accommodate the appellant as a Fireman.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that a person with 100% deafness is eligible for appointment under the Act, and the Circular issued in 2013 cannot restrict the eligibility criteria. The court directed the authorities to accommodate the appellant as a Fireman in a vacant post or replace the appointed respondent with the appellant.
Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, and the authorities were directed to accommodate the appellant as a Fireman in a vacant post or replace the appointed respondent with the appellant.
N. Paul Vasantha Kumar, J.
1. This appeal is filed against the order of the Writ Court made in SWP No. 1967/2012 dated 30.06.2014 wherein the appellant prayed to quash the selection and appointment of respondents 3 to 5 who were selected as Firemen by respondent No. 2 and for directions, directing the respondents 1 and 2 to select and appoint the appellant for the said post under general category reserved for handicapped persons in terms of the advertisement notice. The case put forward by the appellant before the Writ Court was that an advertisement was issued on 04.11.2011 by respondent No. 2 for filling up six vacancies of Fireman. The notified vacancies are Scheduled Caste 2, OBC 1, General Category 3. Applications were received from the candidates all over India which were scrutinized by the Board of Officers convened by Headquarters 19th Infantry Division. After scrutiny of applications, call letters were issued to the candidates whose applications were accepted for physical test, written test and interview w.e.f. 8th August 2012 to 11th August, 2012. The appellant applied as a physically challenged person (deaf). The contention of the appellant was that as per para 2(b) of the advertisement notice, the vacancies reserved for ESM and P-HP (HH) will have to be adjusted against the respective categories. The appellant was issued a disability certificate by the Chief Medical Officer, Udhampur certifying that he has disability of hearing and speaking to the extent of 100%. His application was made under UR (General) category, therefore, as per para 2(b) of the advertisement notice he had to be considered and adjusted against one post meant for physically handicapped person. According to the appellant, he passed matriculation examination in the year 2007 from Government Lady Noyce Secondary for the Deaf, New Delhi the examination of which was conducted by CBSC New Delhi. Certificates were annexed along with the application form. He was treated as a handicapped person by the District Employment Exchange, Udhampur which also issued identity card to him. According to the appellant after scrutiny of his application form he was treated as a handicapped person and was asked to participate in the process of selection. He was subjected to outdoor test, written examination and viva voce conducted on 8th, 10th and 11th of August, 2012. He was declared as successful in all the tests. According to the appellant, in the viva voce test also certain questions were given to him in writing and he answered the same correctly. In the handicapped category 8 persons had applied out of which the appellant alone was declared successful in all the tests. After 11th August, 2012 no information was received as to whether the appellant was selected or not, however, he learnt that three persons arrayed as respondent Nos. 3 to 5 were selected in General category as if the post reserved for handicapped category has been merged by the authorities in the general category.
2. The appellant represented before the authorities and no answer having been given, he filed the writ petition by contending that post being available under the physically handicapped category, that too the turn being for deaf as blind was already selected and appointed, by not selecting him the official respondents have committed an error in selecting respondent Nos. 3 to 5. The said writ petition was opposed by the official respondents on the ground that appellant being suffering from dual disabilities, namely 100% deaf and 100% dumb, he falls outside the purview of the advertisement issued.
3. The Writ Court accepted the contention of the official respondents and held that appellant having dual disability, he is not satisfying the conditions mentioned in the advertisement, namely, deaf and, therefore, his non-selection is valid.
4. The said order is challenged in this appeal by contending that one post under general category having been reserved for physically handicapped person,