Supreme Court Clarifies Unreserved PWD Vacancies as Open Merit Pools

The Supreme Court ruled that 'unreserved' vacancies for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) are open to candidates from any social or special category based on merit. The judgment overturned a Calcutta High Court decision, affirming that a more meritorious PWD candidate from a reserved category can compete for unreserved posts.

The Supreme Court has definitively clarified that vacancies labeled as 'unreserved' for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) are open based on merit to candidates from any social or special background.

This ruling overturns a previous Calcutta High Court decision and emphasizes that merit should be the primary consideration, allowing PWD candidates from reserved categories like OBC, SC, and ST to competitively vie for these unreserved positions.

The case emerged from a recruitment dispute at the West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited, highlighting the balance between general and reserved category meritocracy in hiring processes.