KAUKAB NAQVI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner by this writ petition impugns the circular/decision published in the Hindustan Times dated 11.5.1997, regarding concessions made available in rail fare to certain categories of handicapped persons. Petitioner is aggrieved as deaf and dumb persons, though eligible for50% concessional fare, have not been provided the facility of any rail concession for an attendant/ escort accompanying the deaf and dumb passenger. This facility of concessional fare for the escort/attendant has been confined to blind persons, T.B. patients, mentally retarded persons, thalassamia and major disease patients as well as cardiac patients etc.

(2.) The petitioner's case is that his sister, who is deaf and dumb, was residing in Amroha, U.P. She is required to regularly come to Delhi for treatment. The Chief Medical Officer, Muradabad in a medical certificate issued, certified that she needed an escort. The printed form also carried the following notation:

(3.) Petitioner's sister was earlier allowed to have an escort but pursuant to the impugned circular/notice, which appeared in the Hindustan Times deaf and dumb persons, though eligible for concession of 50% themselves were not included in the category, which allowed a concession for the escort/attendant. Further, grievance of the petitioner is that as against 75% concession given even to T.B. patients, Orthopaedic handicapped person, mentally retarded person, thalassamia major disease patients and cardiac patients etc., here the extent of concession given was only 50%.