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Friday, 14 February 2014

Contempt Case on Officials over Data on Vacancies for Disabled : Madras

The Madras High Court has pulled up officials of the State government for failure to furnish data relating to backlog of vacancies for disabled persons in various government departments and initiated contempt proceedings against Chief Secretary Sheela Balakrishnan and two others.

There shall be reservation of 3% of all available vacancies for disabled persons, as per the statute. The High Court had passed necessary orders nearly two years ago. But, the issue gained momentum only after the apex court order last month directing all the State governments to set apart 3% of available vacancies for disabled persons.


Pointing out that at least 23 government departments had not furnished required details of backlog of vacancies despite several adjournments and directives, Justice S Manikumar said though repeatedly, this court had issued orders to identify the posts in ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ categories and consequently, to fill up the posts as expeditiously as possible, the process is on and on and from the materials produced before this court, of the 34 secretarial heads, 140 heads of departments, 102 government undertakings, including universities, and 54 companies owned and controlled by the Government, only 70 HoDs have furnished the details of ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ categories. So far, 50 out of 102 government undertakings and boards, etc., have furnished the details. No clear details have been furnished by about 54 companies owned and controlled by the government.


“This court is constrained to issue contempt notices to Sheela Balakrishnan, chief secretary, and also head of Monitoring Committee for Differently Abled, P Sivasankaran, secretary of Welfare of Differently Abled department, and Manivasan, commissioner for the differently abled, to explain as to why further course of action should not be taken under the Contempt of Courts Act,’’ the judge said and directed the Registry to issue statutory notices to the trio. 


Source : The New Indian Express , 12th Feb 2014

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