In an interim order on Friday, the Supreme Court allowed candidates with physical disabilities, who have cleared the civil services written exam, to provisionally apply to the Union Public Service Commission for selection in three categories, Live Law reported.
The court in its order said that the candidates can apply for selection in the Indian Police Service, Indian Railways Protection Force Service, and Delhi, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Police Service, or DANIPS.
The court directed the secretary-general of the Union Public Service Commission to receive the applications till April 1.
A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Abhay S Oka passed the interim order on a petition filed by a non-governmental organisation named National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled.
In its plea, the NGO had challenged a government notification, dated August 18, that excludes people with physical disabilities from certain branches of the civil services, both in combat and administrative capacities, according to The New Indian Express.
The plea described the government notification as “arbitrary” and contended that it violated the Right to Equality guaranteed to citizens under Article 14 of the Constitution.
Advocate Arvind Datar, appearing on behalf of the NGO said that there were several candidates who had passed the written examination and were not able to fill their preferences.
Attorney General of India KK Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to file their reply on the matter on behalf of the government. The court asked them to respond in two weeks.
The court will now hear the matter on April 18.
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