The Supreme Court on Friday clarified that the three per cent reservation for disabled persons in government jobs covered all classes of employees, including appointments and promotions to the Indian Administrative Services.

Although 19 years had passed since the passage of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act of 1995, the disabled were struggling for their rights, a Bench headed by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha said.

“For 19 years, it has not been implemented effectively. The disabled have not received the merit they should have got,” the Bench, also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton Nariman, said. The government should not give a narrow interpretation of the term ‘appointment’ in the Act, it pointed out. It said the word described a broader concept, and included promotions too.