Grant driving licence to hearing-impaired persons: HC to govt

New Delhi, Feb 14 (PTI) In line with prevalent norms inmajor parts of the world, the Delhi High Court today askedthe government to grant driving licences to hearing-impairedpersons if they satisfy other necessary criteria under theMotor Vehicles Act which prohibits them from driving.

"We are obliged to certify that if an applicant istotally deaf, he has to be called for the test if he appliesfor a learner''s licence without medical certificate and if hepasses the test as required under the rule, then he shall begranted the learner''s licence as that is the statutoryrequirement," said a division bench of Chief Justice DipakMisra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

"Similarly if a person is totally deaf but satisfies thenecessary criteria, he shall be allowed to obtain the(permanent) driving licence," the bench added.

The Motor Vehicle Act currently prohibitshearing-impaired persons from driving on the ground that theymay pose danger to others.

The bench gave its ruling on a public interestlitigation by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)seeking the court''s direction to quash the requirement of �nohearing impairment� stipulation for issuing a driving licenceunder the Motor Vehicle Act.