Thursday, February 14, 2019

Suo-Motu Vs. Secretary, Deptt of Social Welfare | Case No. 672/1011/2019/01/830 | Dated: 13.02.2019



In the Court of State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities
National Capital Territory of Delhi
25- D, Mata Sundari Road, Near Guru Nanak Eye Centre, New Delhi-2
Phone-011-23216002-04, Telefax: 011-23216005,
[Vested with powers of Civil Court under the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016]


Case No. 672/1011/2019/01/830                             Dated: 13.02.2019

In the matter of:

SUO-MOTU                                                         

                                      Versus                 
The Secretary,
Department of Social Welfare,
Govt. of NCT of Delhi
Delhi Gate, New Delhi-110002.                                        ...........Respondent


Date of Hearing :   07.02.2019

Present:                Sh. Bhagwan, S.O., Sh. Mahesh Kumar, ASO, Sh. Vikas Kumar, ASO on behalf of respondent.

ORDER

Department of Personnel & Training vide OM no. 30612/39/2014-Estt.(Res.) dated 22-25th May, 2015 had launched special Recruitment Drive for filling up unfilled vacancies reserved for persons with disabilities.  In light of the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Interim Order dated 28.04.2015 in Contempt Petition No. 499/2014 in Civil Appeal No. 9096/2013 in the matter of National Federation of Blind, it was also observed that the information provided by various departments and sent to MHA was not correct and the details were not as per the proforma. This court therefore took up with the Pr. Secretaries/ Secretaries/ Spl. Secretaries/ Addl. Secretaries/ HODs of all the Departments of GNCT of Delhi for obtaining the details of appointments made by the concerned Departments and the establishments under their control as on 25.02.2016 in the prescribed format (copy enclosed) vide letter No. 5/1593/2017/Wel/CD/155-316 dated 05.05.2017. The information was to be submitted by 31.05.2017.

2.       Suo motu cases have been registered against the Departments who did not submit the information despite reminders including the Department of Social Welfare under Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’.  A show cause-cum-hearing notice dated 11.01.2019 was issued to Social Welfare Department with the direction to depute the concerned officers alongwith vacancy based reservation roster for persons with disabilities on 10.01.2019 for perusal so that the backlog of reserved vacancies, if any, is filled up by conducting special recruitment drive.  None appeared on 10.01.2019 and on the next date of hearing on 15.01.2019, it was submitted that the information regarding appointment of persons with disabilities since 1996 has been collected and would be submitted in a week’s time as the officers and staff were busy in the recruitment of teachers.          Sh. S. Kulshreshtha, S.O. and Sh. Mahesh Kumar, ASO were explained the provisions of the Act and the procedure prescribed by Department of Personnel and Training for computing the reserved vacancies for persons with disabilities and maintaining 100-Point vacancy based reservation roster.

3.       On the next date of hearing on 07.02.2019, Sh. Bhagwan, S.O., Sh. Mahesh Kumar, ASO, and Sh. Vikas Kumar, ASO have produced the details of information with regard to the vacancies filled in Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ posts by direct recruitment.  As per the details submitted, there has not been any recruitment to Group ‘A’ posts since 1996.  Hence no backlog.  In Group ‘B’ posts, 88 vacancies were filled and 2 persons with locomotor disabilities (OH), 3 VI and nil hearing impaired (HI) were appointed. Hence there is 1 backlog of HI as there is no record whether the advertisements mentioned about reservation of vacancies/carry forward/interchange with other categories of disabilities.  In Group ‘C’ posts, 82 vacancies were filled.  Out of them 8 persons with locomotor disability were appointed, but no person with blindness/ low vision (VI) and HI was appointed.  There is no record whether any vacancy was reserved for VI and HI.  As per the Department, there is backlog of 1 vacancy each for B/LV and HI. 

4.       The information in respect of promotion within Group ‘C’ posts has not been provided.  It may be recalled that while considering the complaint of Sh. Ashwani Gupta for promotion to the post of Housefather against reserved vacancy for persons with disabilities, it was found that reservation was not provided while making promotion in Group ‘C’ posts.  Therefore, in all likelihood there may be backlog of reserved vacancies in promotion to Group ‘C’ posts.  While the Department should submit the information pertaining to the appointments made in Group ‘C’ posts and the backlog, if any, it is considered expedient to dispose of this case so that backlog reserved vacancies in Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ posts by direct recruitment are filled up by conducting Special Recruitment Drive without losing any further time.

5.       Accordingly, based on the information so far submitted by the Department, the following recommendations are made;
(i)      initiate action to fill up the backlog of a vacancy in Group ‘B’ posts by a person with hearing impairment and one vacancy each in Group ‘C’ posts by a person with blindness/ low vision and person with hearing impairment by conducting Special Recruitment Drive or in a regular recruitment exercise within one month from the date of receipt of this order.
(ii)      submit the status of backlog of reserved vacancies by promotion within Group ’C’ posts and the 100-point vacancy based reservation roster for posts filled by promotion and for direcrt recruitment in Group ‘A’ , Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ posts which should be prepared in accordance with DOPT’s instructions within two months from the date of receipt of this order. The proposal to fill up the backlog of reserved vacancies, if any, should also be indicated.

6.           The case is disposed off.
7.       Given under my hand and the seal of the Court this 13th day of February, 2019.
                                                             
(T.D. Dhariyal)
           State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities
         





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