Visually challenged man wins battle for IAS post

New Delhi, Jul 8: An exemplary legal battle of a visually challenged man Prakash Gupta ended on Wednesday, Jul 7 with the Supreme Court ruling in his favour.

What was he fighting for? Gupta, who cleared the Civil Services Exams three years ago was not given a posting despite the Disabilities Act ensuring posts to physically challenged people.

After having successfully argued his case to the bench consisting of Altamas Kabir and Cyriac Joseph, Gupta is now set to join the prestigious Indian Administrative Services (IAS) as the apex court has directed the Centre to grant him posting within eight weeks.

The SC judgment upheld the earlier findings of the Delhi High Court observing that the government had to fill up the seven posts lying vacant since 1996 reserved for persons with disabilities under the Disabilities Act.

The Centre had argued that the posts could be filled up only after they are identified.

"The submission made on behalf of the Union of India regarding the implementation of the provisions of Section 33 of the Disabilities Act, 1995, that only after identification of posts suitable for such appointment, under Section 32 thereof, runs counter to the legislative intent with which the Act was enacted.

"To accept such a submission would amount to accepting a situation where the provisions of Section 33 of the aforesaid Act could be kept deferred indefinitely by bureaucratic inaction," the SC said.

OneIndia News