The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Court comes to the rescue of visually challenged

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Friday, Jan 04, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Court comes to the rescue of visually challenged

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: In what could be described as a major relief to the visually challenged, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the State Government to reserve one per cent of posts of primary schoolteachers for the visually challenged in each district.

In its interim order, the court directed that the quota for the visually challenged be set aside from the posts reserved for the physically challenged. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B.S. Patil passed the order on petitions by the Akhila Karnataka Andha Shikshakara Sangha and National Federation of the Blind.

The two petitioners had challenged the refusal by the authorities of the Education Department in permitting qualified visually challenged persons from applying to the posts of teachers that the State had advertised in 2007.

The petitioners said that the State had called for applications to fill up posts of over 7,900 primary schoolteachers. However, the authorities had barred the visually challenged from applying to the posts.

Seeking equal opportunities, the visually challenged had said that the State’s refusal to reserve posts for them went against an earlier Division Bench order of the Karnataka High Court. They said the Bench had not only asked the State to reserve posts for the visually challenged but also asked them to conduct a special drive to fill up the posts.

The petitioners contended that when the State had called for applications to the posts of primary schoolteachers in 2005, it had not permitted the visually challenged to apply. It had once again refused to accept applications from the visually challenged in 2007, when it had called for applications to fill up nearly 8,000 posts. They said that the State could not go against the High Court order and had urged the Bench to redress their grievances. They termed the State’s action as discriminatory and unconstitutional.

The Bench directed the State to “leave one per cent of posts of primary school teachers to the visually challenged”, and adjourned further hearing on the case.

Announce results

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the authorities to announce the results of 126 students of a city-based polytechnic.

The students had moved the court after the authorities had refused to permit them to write the examination. During an earlier hearing, the court had directed the State to permit the students to write the examination.

When the matter came up today, the students informed the court that though they had written the examination, their results had not been announced. The Government submitted that the polytechnic — Rajiv Gandhi Memorial institution — had without permission, shifted its premises from Basavanagudi to Malathalli. It said as per the provisions of the Education Act, any institution which wants to relocate to new premises would have to seek approval from the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). It said that the institution had not obtained permission from the AICTE before relocating to Malathalli. Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri directed the authorities to announce the results of the examination.

Directed

Justice K. Bhaktavatsala directed the stepdaughter of cricket player Anil Kumble to implead her mother as a guardian in a criminal petition. The judge passed the order on a petition field by the first husband of Chetana (who is now married to Mr. Kumble) urging the court to quash proceedings initiated against him by the Mysore police following a complaint by his daughter.

He then adjourned further hearing on the case.

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