RDPR order makes no reservation for disabled

Though the notification invited candidates to submit their applications before April 19, there was no mention of five per cent reservation for the disabled.

However, the notification states that since the post of Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) is executive in nature, persons with disabilities are unable to perform the duties. Moreover, as per the GO July 7, 2009 people with disabilities are not eligible to apply for the post.

Consequently, the office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Karnataka, issued a notice to the Department of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development for violating the rules and held a hearing on March 22. In response, the department assured to issue re-notification including the reservation for the disabled in 10 days.

"The department is recruiting 1,353 PDOs but there is no reservation for people with disability. Even in 2009, 2,500 PDOs were recruited but the five per cent reservation was not accorded to the disabled,” State Commissioner for Disabilities K V Rajanna told mediapersons on Friday.

He added that the 2009 order violated the Persons with Disabilities Act-1995.

The department had justified its act by stating inability of a disabled person to manage executive post, attend taluk and district-level meetings or travel 5 to 8 km if the work demanded, he said. However, now according to the rules, the department will have to give 10 per cent reservation considering the recruitment undertaken in 2009. Hence, it has to now create 191 posts for the disabled, he added.