The definition of 'person with disability' under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, does not exclude individuals with temporary or variable disability status from reservation benefits; disability certificates indicating periodic validity are valid for all legal purposes, and administrative certificate corrections relate back to original assessment dates.

1. Petitioner is the daughter of Daljit Singh, who is a police personnel and sustained a gunshot injury in police action (terrorist operation) on 13.12.2023. The injury sustained by him has been classified as femoral neuropathy with limited range of motion of left hip and left knee. This injury has caused disability to the petitioner’s father and a certificate has been issued by the competent authority of the Government of India describing the disability as locomotive disability. The disability certificate dated 03.09.2024 (Annexure P-6) issued by the Chief Medical Officer, Ludhiana records the disability to be 50% temporary disability in relation to his one arm on account of gunshot injury sustained on 13.12.2023. The benefit of such disability is claimed by the petitioner for securing the admission in MBBS Course. The authorities of the State of Punjab have, however, declined such protection to the petitioner on the ground that the disability is temporary in nature and requires review after two years. The respondents also assert that the certificate of disability relied upon by the petitioner is dated 01.10.2025 (Annexure P-7) which is after last date fixed for making of application i.e. 30.09.2025. While entertaining the writ petition we passed a detailed order dated 17.10.2025 noticing the contention of the petitioner which for the sake of convenience is reproduced hereunder:

“Grievance of the petitioner is with regard to non-consideration of his claim for admission to MBBS course on account of Disability Certificate having been obtained after the last date fixed for filing of the application.

Learned Senior counsel for the petitioner contends that the Disability Certificate of petitioner is dated 03.09.2024 which was of a date prior to the last date fixed for making application i.e. 24.07.2025. The authorities, however, were not satisfied with this Disability Certificate as the same was not happily worded. This Certificate is Annexure P-6 and contains the satisfaction of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) that this is a case of Locomotive Disability and the diagnosis in this case is gunshot injury limited range of motion of left hip and left knee. He further submits that the disability has been quantified as 50% in relation to one arm. The finding contained in the Disability Certificate reads as under:-

“(A) He is a case of Locomotor Disability

(B) The diagnosis in his case is allege h/o gunshot injury 13.12.23 limited range of motion of left hip and left knee

(C) He has 50% (in figure) fifty percent (in words) Temporary Disability in relation to his One Arm (OA) as per the guidelines (Guidelines for the purpose of assessing the extent of specified disability in a person included under RPwD Act, 2016 notified by Government of India vide S.O. 1338 (E) Dated 12.03.2024). This certificate recommended for 2 year(s), and therefore this certificate shall be valid till 31.08.2026.”

The authorities, at the time of document verification, expressed doubt with regard to genuineness and correctness of the Disability Certificate on account of which the petitioner again appeared before the CMO and a subsequent confirmation was issued on 01.10.2025, wherein the substance of the report is as under:-

“(A) He is a case of :Locomotor Disability.

(B) Name of affected body part: One Leg (OL).

(C) The diagnosis in his case is Alleged h/o gunshot injury 13/12/2023, femoral neuropathy with limited range of motion of left hip and left knee.

(D) He has 50% (in f