After Punjab government failed to respond twice on the issue of reservation for differently abled persons in Punjab State Civil Services (PCS) exam-2020, the high court on Tuesday stayed the further process of the exam till a representation on the issue is decided by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).
The court was hearing a plea from Jalandhar-based lawyer Vivek Joshi 40, who had challenged the reservation criteria. The PPSC had advertised 75 posts on December 12, 2020 for which the exam was conducted at various centres across the state on February 13, 2021.
Joshi had pleaded that reservation for differently abled persons should have been as per Section 34 of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016 and accordingly 4% seats were required to be reserved out of the total seats advertised. However, the same was not done, it was stated. He had demanded that PPSC be directed to amend its notification as it has violated the rights of the petitioner by not reserving seats for the physically handicapped/disabled per the Rights of persons with disabilities Act, 2016 and further violated rules about exemption in fee for this category.
The court was told that the petitioner is a disabled person and a practicing lawyer in Jalandhar. He had submitted a representation with PPSC in December and demanded for rectification of the said mistake. However, the PPSC has not acted.
{{/usCountry}}The court was told that the petitioner is a disabled person and a practicing lawyer in Jalandhar. He had submitted a representation with PPSC in December and demanded for rectification of the said mistake. However, the PPSC has not acted.
{{/usCountry}}The court, while posting the matter for July, directed the PPSC to consider his case for providing appropriate reservation and also examine his representation of December 29, 2020.
“It is further directed that till the representation is decided, further process in pursuance to the advertisement shall remain stayed,” the court directed. The stay order was passed as it came to light that on January 28, response was sought on a similar matter and PPSC and the state were directed to file a status report by March 1. However, no reply was filed. Also response was not filed on March 16 even as HC had granted a last opportunity during the hearing on March 1, said the court while staying the further process.