The Delhi High Court has upheld a ruling barring individuals with defective colour vision from being appointed as constables in the Delhi Police.
A Division Bench comprising Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Amit Sharma dismissed petitions challenging the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order, which deemed defective colour vision a disqualifying defect for the role.
Key Observations by the High Court
- The court stated, “There can be no cavil with the finding of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that defective colour vision is a defect. As such, the petitioners clearly suffer from a defect which renders them unfit for appointment as constables in the Delhi Police.”
- It emphasized that medical fitness standards for police forces must be stricter than those for civilian posts, given the demanding nature of the job.
Petitioners’ Arguments
- The petitioners argued that “defective colour vision is not the same as colour blindness” and should not disqualify them from being appointed as constables.
Delhi Police’s Stand
- Represented by Central Government Standing Counsel Ashish Dixit, the Delhi Police countered that defective colour vision is a disqualifying defect under the advertised eligibility criteria.
Court Decision
The High Court declined to interfere with the CAT’s judgment, stating, “We do not find any cause to interfere with the judgment of the Tribunal. This writ petition accordingly stands dismissed in limine.”