The Supreme Court on Thursday took suo motu cognizance of the Madhya Pradesh Judicial Services (Recruitment and Service Conditions) Rules. These rules have come under scrutiny for their exclusionary provisions that prevent visually impaired candidates from seeking appointment in the state's judicial service.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, not only acknowledged the issue but also converted a letter petition into a suo motu plea. 

In its notice issued to the Secretary General of Madhya Pradesh High Court, the State of Madhya Pradesh, and the Union of India, the Supreme Court has signaled its intent to delve into the discriminatory practices that hinder the participation of visually impaired individuals in the judiciary.

Furthermore, the Court's decision to appoint Senior Advocate Gaurav Agrawal as the amicus curiae and Ravi Raghunath as the advocate-on-record (AoR) underscores the seriousness with which it regards the issue. 

The exclusion of visually impaired candidates from the judicial service not only infringes upon their fundamental rights but also undermines the principles of equality and justice enshrined in the Constitution of India. 

Case: In Re Recruitment of visually impaired in judicial services.