Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to strictly adhere to one of its circulars and give priority in government jobs to persons with higher disability.
The high court gave this direction recently while disposing of the petitions of five persons suffering from higher disability. These petitions said the state government was "completely ignoring" its own circular in the appointment of divyangs or differently-abled persons.
In the circular issued on July 3, 2018 by the General Administration Department of the state government, it was said, "It has often been seen that divyangs whose percentage of disability is less, are being given reservation in government service. Divyangs whose percentage of disability is more, are not being given appointments in government service. This action is contrary to the intention of the provision mentioned in the Divyang Jan Adhikar Niyam 2017. Therefore, priority should be given to those divyangs who have more disability." In light of this circular, Justice Subodh Abhyankar of the Indore bench of the high court on February 24 cancelled the recruitment of a total of five candidates on Class IV posts under the divyang quota by the Skill Development Department of the state government, Kannod Municipal Council of Dewas district and Jaora Municipal Council of Ratlam district.
The court directed the state government to re-issue advertisements for the recruitment of divyangs on these posts and complete the appointment process within four months by strictly following its 2018 circular in this regard.
The respondents were also directed to issue fresh advertisements for appointments of divyang persons strictly complying with the intent, letter and spirit of the circular dated 3.7.2018, as also the observations made hereinabove, as expeditiously as possible, also ensuring that the disability does not come in the way of the duties attached to the post. Let the aforesaid exercise be completed within a further period of four months, it said.
The petitioners' lawyer Shanno Shagufta Khan told PTI on Wednesday, "The high court's decision is historic. This decision will open the way for government employment for those candidates with 100 per cent disability who have been totally ignored in appointments till now." Gurdeep Kaur Vasu (34) of Indore is among the five petitioners who knocked the high court's door with a plea for government employment. She cannot speak, see and hear, but leaving behind all physical handicaps, she has cleared Class 10 examination.
Anand Service Society, an NGO working for the disabled in the city, helps Vasu in her studies.
Monika Purohit, director of the organisation and an expert in sign language, said, "Vasu communicates with a person in sign language by pressing their hands and fingers. We also have to press their hands and fingers in the same language to convey our message to them." Purohit said that Vasu wants to join the mainstream of society and join the government service to become financially independent.
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