HC reserves order on implementation of handicapped quota

The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on a plea seeking directions to government bodies to implement the orders of the apex court to provide three percent quota in jobs to differently-abled persons.
A bench of chief justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw concluded the hearing on the petitions filed by the NGO, National Federation of The Blind, which accused the Centre of not providing legitimate employment rights to differently- abled persons.
The NGO, in its fresh application, has also sought a stay on further recruitment process to be undertaken by the Centre, its various departments and public sector undertakings.

The NGO alleged that despite the directions issued by the apex court and the Delhi High Court, the Centre is not providing legitimate employment rights to differently-abled persons.
The apex court had on October 8 last year asked the Centre and state governments to provide 3 per cent quota in jobs to disabled persons in their departments, firms and PSUs, observing that it was an "alarming reality" that they are unemployed due to social and practical barriers.
The Supreme Court had also asked the Centre and state governments to compute the number of vacancies available in all the "establishments" and identify the posts for disabled persons within three months and implement it without default.

It had clarified that the three per cent reservation will be to the extent of one per cent each for the blind, hearing and speech impaired and persons suffering from locomotor disability or cerebral palsy.
It had further said the principle of not exceeding more than 50 per cent quota would not come in the way of granting reservation benefits to differently-abled persons.
The bench was hearing a PIL, filed by National Federation of Blind in 2006, seeking implementation of earlier directions issued by the High Court and the apex court on providing quota to differently-abled, including visually-impaired, persons.