Allahabad High Court
PRANJAL GARGversusUNION OF INDIA AND 7 OTHERS
- Decided
Holding
The appellate authority’s opinion is quashed and the petitioner is allowed to claim a reservation seat based on his original medical certificate.
Summary
Petitioner Pranjal Garg, who has a benchmark low‑vision disability of 60%, obtained a medical certificate confirming this disability but the Medical Board reduced his disability percentage to 30%, a finding the petitioner contended was beyond the Board’s authority. He approached the Allahabad High Court seeking to claim a reservation seat for persons with benchmark disability, rather than filing an appeal before the appellate board. The Court noted that the present petition is covered by the earlier decision in Somya Pal v. Union of India (Writ‑C No.33739 of 2026) and adopted the same direction. Accordingly, the Court set aside and quashed the appellate authority’s opinion and ordered that the petitioner be allowed to claim a seat on the basis of his original medical certificate dated 11 August 2026. The respondent was directed to act on the website copy of the order upon the petitioner’s undertaking to obtain a certified copy, and the writ petition was disposed of.
Issues considered
- What is the appropriate standard for reviewing a Medical Board’s assessment of disability percentage in reservation cases?
- Whether the appellate authority’s decision reducing the petitioner’s disability percentage can be set aside in favour of the original medical certificate.
Subjects
- reservation
- benchmark disability
- medical board assessment
- appellate authority
- rights of persons with disabilities
- seat allocation
- writ petition
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT - C No. - 36242 of 2026
Pranjal Garg
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
Union Of India And 7 Others
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Abhijeet Mishra, Parijat Srivastava
Counsel for Respondent(s) : A.S.G.I., Akanksha Sharma, Farooq
Ahmad, Pooja Agarwal, Vivek Kumar
Singh
Court No. - 29
HON'BLE ARINDAM SINHA, J.
HON'BLE SATYA VEER SINGH, J.
1. Mr. Abhijeet Mishra, learned advocate led by Mr. Parijat Srivastava,
learned advocate appear on behalf of petitioner. Mr. Mishra submits, his
client is entitled to the reservation for persons with benchmark disability
(PwBD). Facts are similar to facts in Writ-C no.33739 of 2026 (Somya Pal
Vs. Union of India and 8 others) disposed of by us on order dated 25th
August, 2026. His client having benchmark disability of low vision at 60%
disability, went before the Medical Board to obtain eligibility certificate. The
Board returned percentage of disability at 30%. The finding was in excess of
the authority and as such, instead of preferring appeal before the appellate
board, his client has approached the Court.
2. Mr. Raunak Tiwari, learned advocate holding the brief appears on behalf
of respondent nos.1 to 3 and 5. Mr. Fuzail Ahmad Ansari, learned advocate
holding the brief appears for respondent no.6. Mrs. Akansha Sharma, learned
advocate appears for respondent no.7 (the counseling authority). Mrs.
Sharma submits, first round of counseling is already over. Mrs. Pooja
Agarwal, learned advocate appears for respondent no.8.
3. The writ petition stands covered by Somya Pal (supra). Direction
paragraph 6 from said order is reproduced below.
"6. Petitioner be allowed to claim a seat in the category on strength of
medical certificate dated 11th August, 2026, disregarding the conclusion
WRIC No. 36242 of 2026
2
given therein purportedly on basis of assessment of petitioner's disability
at 28%. Opinion of the appellate authority is set aside and quashed.
Petitioner will communicate certified copy of this order to respondent
no.7. Said respondent without waiting for such communication will act on
website copy of this order."
Same direction as applicable is made herein. Parties to act on website copy
of this order upon petitioner's undertaking to apply for certified copy.
4. The writ petition is disposed of.
(Arindam Sinha,J.)
(Satya Veer Singh,J.)
September 8, 2026
Kpy
Digitally signed by :-
KAVLESHWAR PRASAD YADAV
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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