Supreme Court upholds right of visually impaired candidates to join judiciary

New Delhi, Mar 3: The Supreme Court has held that visually impaired candidates are eligible for appointment to judicial services across India, affirming their right to equal opportunity in the legal profession as reported by Bar and Bench.

A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan delivered the judgment while hearing a batch of petitions, including a suo motu case addressing the denial of reservations to such candidates in judicial services in certain states.

“We have treated it as the most important case. We have touched upon the constitutional framework and institutional disability jurisprudence…,” Justice Mahadevan remarked while pronouncing the decision, according to Bar and Bench.

The Court said that persons with disabilities must not face discrimination in judicial services and that the State has an obligation to provide affirmative action to create an inclusive framework. “No candidate can be denied such opportunity solely on account of disability,” the Court asserted as reported by Bar and Bench.

The case originated from a letter written last year by the mother of a visually impaired candidate to the Supreme Court, challenging a rule in the Madhya Pradesh Judicial Services (Recruitment and Service Conditions) Rules that barred visually impaired candidates from judicial appointments. The Court took suo motu cognizance and converted the letter into a formal plea.

Striking down Rule 6A of the Madhya Pradesh Judicial Services Rules, the Court ruled that the provision, which excluded visually impaired and low-vision candidates, was unconstitutional. Additionally, it invalidated the requirement for visually impaired candidates to have three years of legal practice before applying for judicial services.

Beyond Madhya Pradesh, the ruling also extended similar relief to visually impaired candidates in Rajasthan, ensuring they, too, could participate in the selection process. This verdict marks a significant step toward greater inclusivity in India’s judiciary, reinforcing the principle that disability should not be a barrier to public service.