Delhi HC Urges Swift Action on Disability Commissioner's Appointment

The Delhi High Court has prompted the city government to expedite the appointment of a State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. This follows a plea by the National Federation of the Blind, highlighting non-compliance with previous directives for filling vacancies reserved for persons with disabilities. The government must respond by July 15.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the city government to take steps to fill up the post of state commissioner for persons with disabilities (SCPD).

The court was dealing with a plea by National Federation of the Blind alleging non-compliance of last year's order which had directed the authorities to undertake a special recruitment drive for filling up the backlog of vacancies in various posts reserved for persons with disabilities in a time bound manner.

Senior counsel SK Rungta, appearing for the organisation, said that action was yet to be taken with respect to the recruitment drive and in the absence of a state commissioner, the matter should be marked to the chief commissioner.

''SCPD is not there. Let it be sent to chief commissioner,'' he said.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora issued notice on the plea and asked the Delhi government to file its response.

''Respondent Delhi government is directed to take steps to fill up the post of State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities for Delhi before the next date of hearing,'' the court said.

On March 6, 2023, a division bench headed by the then chief justice had directed the Delhi government to undertake a special recruitment drive for filling up the backlog of vacancies in various posts reserved for persons with disabilities in a time bound manner.

It had directed filling up of the vacancies reported by different departments against the reservation for promotion in relation to persons with disabilities and said any deviation from the time schedule set by it would invite contempt action for non-compliance.

The court had asked the SCPD to monitor the drive and clarified that once the process was over, the commissioner shall be free to examine the "vacancy-wise roster" from 33 departments that have reported zero vacancies and address any backlog.

The petitioner organisation had submitted that it filed the petition in 2017 after in spite of orders passed by the Supreme Court, the vacancies were not filled up.

The matter would be heard next on Juy 15.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)