Hyderabad: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed against Telangana IAS officer Smita Sabharwal in the Telangana High Court on Monday, August 12.
Smita Sabharwal landed in controversy for expressing views against the Persons with Disability (PwD) reservation in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The PIL was filed by Sociologist Vansundhara, also a specially-abled individual, against the IAS officer over her comments on PwD reservation in UPSC CSE to people with disabilities, local media reported.
Amid the debate over reservation for UPSC aspirants under the PwD category, which was triggered by the scrutiny of Abhishek Singh and Puja Khedkar, the IAS officer wrote on her X handle, “With all due respect to the Differently Abled.
Does an Airline hire a pilot with disability? Or would you trust a surgeon with a disability.
The nature of the #AIS ( IAS/IPS/IFoS) is field-work, long taxing hours, listening first hand to people’s grievances-which requires physical fitness.
Why does this premier service need this Quota in the first place!”
Senior advocates, political leaders, and others have also criticised her views.
Lawyers, MPs criticise IAS officer Smita Sabharwal
Following the comment on PwD reservation in UPSC CSE, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court reacted by writing, “Amazed that an IAS officer would be so fundamentally ignorant about disability. Most disabilities have no impact on stamina. Or intelligence. But this tweet shows enlightenment and diversity are badly needed.“
Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also reacted to the tweet and wrote, “This is such a pathetic and exclusionary view to have. Interesting to see how bureaucrats are showing their limited thoughts and their privilege too.“
Why Abhishek Singh, Puja Khedkar came under scrutiny
Puja Khedkar, an IAS officer trainee from the 2023 batch, was the first to face allegations of misusing reservation benefits intended for PwD candidates in UPSC.
Following this controversy, former IAS officer Abhishek Singh, from the 2011 batch, also came under scrutiny for similar allegations.
Under the reservation system for the UPSC civil services examination, four percent of vacancies are reserved for candidates in the PwD category, as per the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
However, allegations that the two IAS officers misused the reservation benefits have sparked a debate over the quota for the PwD category.
