Job ordered to disabled under quota

CHENNAI: The agriculture department was directed by the Madras High Court on September 8 last to appoint within two weeks P Sivakumar, a disabled, to the post of assistant agriculture officer (AAO), under the reservation quota for the handicapped.According to advocate N Raja Senthoor Pandian, Sivakumar, a SC candida- te, sustained 40 per cent disability in a fire mishap when he was a child. While so, the agriculture department sought to fill up 996 posts of AAOs. He was called for interview in January this year, but was not selected.Pandian contended that the authorities concerned had not complied with the mandatory three per cent reservation provided to the handicapped under the Persons with Disabilities Act. As many as 33 posts should have been reserved for the disabled.Citing Sec 33 of the Act, Justice D Hariparanthaman directed the agriculture department to appoint the petitioner to the post of AAO, within two weeks.