SHC dismisses petition of differently-abled persons

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has dismissed a petition filed by differently-abled persons against their non-appointments in different government departments, observing that the petitioners have to undergo the competitive process to seek appointments based on a quota for them.

Irfan Khan and other petitioners submitted that they had applied for different posts in government departments on the differently-abled persons’ quota, but they were not considered for appointments.

Their counsel stated that the court had already dealt with the issue of differently-abled persons and issued several directions to the government, and their case was akin to the cases of the abovementioned case.

He requested the court to direct the government to facilitate the petitioners and provide them employment in their departments.

A division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui, inquired the counsel whether the petitioners had applied to any department on the differently-abled persons’ quota through a competitive process. The counsel said that they had applied several times, but their candidatures were not considered.

The court observed that prima facie the petitioners had to undergo the competitive process to seek appointments based on the quota in light of a judgment issued by the Supreme Court.

The court observed that cut-off date in terms of the advertisement issued on November 9, 2017 was December 26, 2017, and the applications of the petitioners was much beyond the cutoff date; hence, the petitioners were not in a position to explain the delay. The court observed that earlier petitions had been decided on the grounds that no further applications which were submitted beyond the cut-off date would be considered.

It further observed that the petition did not require any consideration and indulgence and dismissed it.

It however said that the petitioners were at liberty to seek appointments against the differently-abled persons’ quota as and when a public notice was issued in newspapers.