Supreme Court Seeks Government Response on Exclusion of PWDs from Judiciary Appointments
Last Updated on April 16, 2024 by News Desk
The Supreme Court has sought the response of the Central government to a public interest litigation (PIL) petition challenging the exclusion of persons with disabilities (PwDs) from appointments as judges in the district judiciary.
The petition, filed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, alleges that existing judicial services rules violate the fundamental rights of PwDs by not complying with the 4% reservation mandate for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
The petition also points out inconsistencies in the reservation percentage among different states. The plea calls for an expert body to examine and standardize these rules, as well as to strike down discriminatory hiring practices that are inconsistent with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
The plea also highlights that with the support of new technology, persons with Benchmark disabilities can perform various tasks on an equal basis with others. The central government has identified persons with benchmark disabilities as suitable for the post, but not identifying them as suitable.
