Coming down heavily on concerned Tamil Nadu government officials for tardy progress in the matter of identifying posts in A and B categories for disabled persons, Madras High Court today warned that it would not accept any more delay in the matter and directed that the needful be done by March 31, 2016.
First Bench Comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana gave the directive on a PIL seeking a direction to reserve three per cent of posts in Village Administrative Officers' selection as per the Persons With Disabilities Act, 1995.
"We would like an affidavit to be filed by the Secretary concerned, stating as to how many posts in Category A and Category B exist, as identified for persons with special needs vis a vis the total number of posts and how many have actually been appointed," the bench said.
Noting that there was "tardy progress" in the matter, it said only 16 departments had responded as per the deadline of November end 2015.
Thirteen departments were still in default and the court expected notices to be issued to all these departments clearly indicating that departmental action will be taken in the absence of information not being supplied forthwith, it said.
Observing that there was a deliberate endeavor not to do the needful and violate the directions of the court, the bench said it was inclined to issue a notice of contempt to the officers concerned.
However, it said it was deferring the process in view of the request of Government Pleader.
The court directed that the Principal Secretary concerned shall remain personally present in the court unless the whole exercise was over within one.
Directing the state Commissioner for the differently-abled to remain present in court unless the needful had been done by the next date of hearing, the bench posted the matter to April 13 next.
The matter relates to a PIL filed by P Seemachandran, secretary, Tamil Nadu Handicapped Federation Charitable Trust, Chennai who sought a direction to call the records of government order dated September 16, 2006 passed by the revenue secretary and to quash the same to the extent it is violative of Persons With Disabilities Act, 1995, and to issue a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to reserve 3 per cent of posts in VAO selection as per the Act.
