Anganwadi worker checking larvae in water
A bench of two judges in the Gujarat High Court overturned the old decision and declared a woman with 70 per cent disability ineligible for the job in Anganwadi. Justice A.S. A bench of Justices Supahiya and Geeta Gopi, while overturning the single judge’s decision, said the single judge had “erred” in observing that “the appellate authorities are not required to inquire further into the issue of medical fitness and should only come to this conclusion.” But it has to be arrived at whether the medical certificate is sufficient or not.”
The High Court accepted the officers’ appeal on merits and set aside the single judge’s decision. This case pertained to a 70 per cent disabled woman, who had passed the Anganwadi examination but was not given a job because she was 70 per cent disabled.
What is the matter?
A woman had applied for a job in Anganwadi and was initially selected, but during document verification it was revealed that the woman was 70 percent disabled. The woman had submitted the fitness certificate, but she was not given the job. The woman challenged the case in court and a single judge bench ruled in the woman’s favour. On this, the officials filed a petition and the bench of two judges overturned the decision and declared the woman ineligible for the job.
Why was the decision reversed?
The bench of two judges said that the woman is more than 40 percent disabled. In such a situation, he will have difficulty in doing work related to Anganwadi. In Anganwadi, women have to take care of the nutrition of small children. The health of pregnant women also has to be taken care of. After the birth of the child, vaccination and other health related needs have to be taken care of. When a child falls ill, he has to be taken to the hospital and updated from time to time. In this connection, many times one has to go to the homes of children and women. For pre-schooling of children, they have to be dropped from home to Anganwadi center and from the center to home. Physical fitness is necessary to do all these types of work. For this reason the woman was found ineligible for the Anganwadi job.
