Supreme Court endorses Government initiative to hire disabled
In a recent order in September 2015, the Supreme Court of India has noted the steps taken by the Government of India to fill over 15,000 backlog vacancies for persons with disabilities. The backlog arose because the government and it’s various departments had not adequately complied with the disability law mandating 3% reservation for persons with disabilities.
An affidavit filed by the government stated that 5629 disabled persons had been employed since 2013, when the Court had first directed them to take definite and time-bound steps in this matter by it’s judgment dated October 8, 2013 in the National Federation of the Blind case. The government further committed to hire another 6000 disabled persons by December 2015 and also pledged to fill the remaining 3400 vacancies by February, 2016. The Supreme Court said in it’s September 1, 2015 order:
“Filling up of over 15,000 posts is a task of considerable magnitude involving several departments / ministries / establishments requiring different /separate process of recruitment. Induction of persons with disabilities in such large numbers to which the Union is committed, in our considered view, is a positive step undertaken in tune with the constitutional philosophy and the judgment of this Court….”
This order provides a context and occasion for stakeholders in the disability sector to monitor the ensuing actions of the government to ensure it complies with the assurances it provided before the Court.