LPG dealership: Plea in HC for disabled quota

The High Court of Karnataka has issued emergent notices to the Central government, the Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum on a plea regarding violations in reserving LPG distributorships for persons with disability.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice H G Ramesh and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar heard a petition from the Karnataka Rajya Vikalachetanara Samiti asking the government agencies to notify 5% reservation for persons with disability in 238 LPG distributorships.

The petition quoted section 37 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act that mandates 5% reservation for disabled persons in all poverty alleviation schemes.

The petitioner pointed out that the impugned notification and guidelines of the companies violated the law since they only reserved six posts instead of 11 which would constitute 5% of the 238 posts in Karnataka. The petitioner accused the companies of denying concessions in application fees, relaxing age limits, providing loans and margin money to the disabled.