Supreme Court rules visually impaired individuals can't be denied judicial servicePhoto: Getty Images Supreme Court rules visually impaired individuals can't be denied judicial servicePhoto: Getty Images

 In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Monday held that visually impaired persons cannot be denied the opportunity of employment in judicial services.

This goes as per the demands of the protesting junior doctors of Kolkata who held a meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday evening.

A bench comprising justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan had reserved the judgment on six petitions, including a suo motu (on its own) case, on December 3, last year over non-grant of quota to such candidates in judicial services in a few states.

Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Mahadevan said that persons with disabilities must not face any discrimination in their pursuit of judicial service recruitment and that the State must provide them with affirmative action to ensure an inclusive framework.

 "Any indirect discrimination that results in the exclusion of persons with disabilities, whether through cutoff or procedural barriers must be interfered with to uphold substantive equality,66br Cassinos ao Vivo Brasil" the judge said. 

The judgment said no candidate can be denied consideration solely on account of their disability.

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The top court also set aside certain rules of the Madhya Pradesh Services Examination (Recruitment and Conditions of Services) Rules 1994 to the extent they barred visually impaired and low vision candidates from entering the judicial service. 

The pleas pertained to the validity of Rules 6A and 7 of the Madhya Pradesh Rules

The PWD (persons with disabilities) candidates, who had participated in the selection process, are entitled to be considered for judicial service selection in the light of the judgment, and they can be appointed in the vacant posts if they are otherwise eligible, the judgment said. 

The detailed judgment is awaited. 

On November 7jblpg, last year, the bench issued several directions ensuring equitable opportunities for persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) in judicial services across the country.