SC seeks Centre's reply on PIL for grant of quota in jobs to speech-disabled persons

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the Centre's response on a petition seeking quota benefit in government employment for people with speech and language disability.

'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.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices K M Joseph and M R Shah issued notice to the Centre on the PIL filed by Reepal Kansal that 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.

Lawyer Yadunandan Bansal, appearing for Kansal, 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 benchmark 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.