HC issues notice to state over 4% quota for PwDs in govt jobs

Panaji: The Bombay high court on Monday issued a notice to state govt in a PIL concerning non-compliance with a law that mandates 4% reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities in govt posts.The notices were issued to the Goa staff selection commission, Goa human resource development corporation, Goa state commission for persons with disabilities, and the directorate of empowerment for persons with disabilities.The high court asked state govt to place on record department-wise and cadre-wise data with details of what constitutes 4% reservation, and the number of vacant posts against this 4%.Advocate Abhijit Gosavi, representing the Disability Rights Association of Goa, told the high court that the Goa staff selection committee advertised 722 group C posts without reserving a single post for persons with disabilities.He said that Section 34 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, makes it mandatory to reserve posts for persons with benchmark disabilities.Govt advocate told the high court that the 4% reservation refers to 4% of the entire cadre strength of a post and not 4% of each group of vacancies.The PIL by Drag and disability rights activist Avelino D’Sa seeks strict implementation of the mandatory 4% reservation, and challenges the Feb 13, 2026, advertisement of the Goa staff selection commission inviting applications for 722 group C posts across various departments without reserving a single post for PwDs.

The petition states that many of these posts were previously identified as suitable for PwDs and added that the advertisement is a blatant violation of statutory rights and constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination.The petition states that under the RPwD Act, govt is required to periodically review and identify posts suitable for persons with benchmark disabilities.The PIL is seeking directions to govt to ensure strict implementation of 4% reservation in all govt jobs, corporations, and autonomous bodies as per the RPwD Act.It also seeks the quashing of the Feb 2026 advertisement with directions to provide mandatory 4% reservation in accordance with the law.The PIL, in the interim, seeks a stay on recruitment proceedings of the advertisement and directions to govt to identify and fill up all backlog vacancies for PwDs with immediate effect.