SC asks Centre to respond to PIL for grant of quota in jobs to speech-disabled persons

The Supreme Court Friday granted four weeks to the Centre for filing response to a plea seeking quota benefit in government jobs for people with speech and language disability.

The apex court, on November 22 last year, had issued notice to the Centre on the PIL filed by Reepal Kansal which said that though disabled persons falling in the category of 'speech and language disability' are getting the benefit of reservation in education, the same is not given to them in public employment.

'Speech and language disability' refers to a permanent disability arising out of conditions such as laryngectomy or aphasia affecting one or more components of speech and language due to organic or neurological causes.

"Four weeks' time, as prayed, is granted to the Union of India to file reply affidavit, if any. List the matter after four weeks," said a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

The PIL said the Centre was unjustified in not granting reservation in employment to people with speech and language disabilities and it amounted to discrimination.

The petition, filed through advocate Ashutosh Garg, said not granting quota benefit to such disabled people was "flagrant violation of their rights under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016".

The PIL also termed it as "illogical" that people with speech and language disabilities were getting reservation in education due to their bench mark disability under section 32 of the Act, but were being denied the benefit in employment under section 34 of the Act which relates to vacancies in government establishments.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in its order dated January 4, 2018, had constituted a committee to furnish guidelines for evaluation and certification of 12 newly identified disabilities, including speech and language disability, in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.