News

Volume 4 Issue 5 - March 01, 2006

Disability sector in Manipur demands implementation of Disability Act

D.N.I.S. News Network- The nascent disability sector in Manipur is growing restive over the non-implementation of the provisions of the Disability Act 1995. In its latest move, it has demanded withholding results of State Public Service Examinations on account of discrimination against a vision-impaired aspirant who was not allowed to appear in the exam.  

To press for this demand, a large number of disabled people staged a protest march in the capital city of Imphal.

The rally was organised after the Manipur Public Service Commission refused permission to Sapam Jaswabanta, a blind candidate to appear in the preliminary examinations of the Manipur Combined Service. Disabled people demanded that the results of the preliminary examination should not be announced till reservations were made for them.

The secretary of the M.P.S.C., Y. Jugondro, said that the blind candidate was not allowed to appear for the examination as the Combined Service Rules, 2005 do not have any provision for this.

The Common Forum for Persons with Disabilities (C.F.P.D.) had set 16 February as the deadline for conducting a fresh examination for the blind candidate.  The Forum wanted this held before the preliminary examination results are announced.

After the rally, a copy of the memoranda was submitted to Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and Governor S.S. Sidhu, according to media reports.

C.F.P.D. has demanded for the appointment of a full-time Disability Commissioner as per the Disabilities Act, three per cent job reservation and earmarking of three per cent of funds allotted to all state government departments for welfare of disabled people.