SHLOK SACHIN vs UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

$~90 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 8456/2025, CM APPL. 36780/2025 SHLOK SACHIN .....Petitioner Through: Mr. M.V. Mukunda and Ms. Shambhavi Kala, Advs. versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Abhishek Saket, Sr. PC with Mr. Manish Madhukar, Ms. Aparna Tripathi and Mr. Abhigyan, Advs. for UOI Mr. Ravinder Agarwal, Mr. Manish Kumar Singh and Mr. Vasu Agarwal, Advs. for UPSC CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C. HARI SHANKAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AJAY DIGPAUL JUDGMENT (ORAL) % 08.07.2025 C. HARI SHANKAR, J. The lis 1. The petitioner is an aspirant to enter the portals of the National Defence Academy1. By a communication dated 18 March 2025, he has been informed that, as he was suffering from haemoglobinopathy, he could not be admitted. This decision was stated, by the respondents, to have been taken in accordance with Office Order dated 1 “NDA” hereinafter Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:AJIT KUMAR W.P.(C) 8456/2025 Page 1 of 24 Signing Date:11.07.2025 10:21:57 5 September 2017 issued by the Ministry of Defence2, which also constitutes Para 24(d) of the “Guidelines with regard to Physical and Medical Standards” applicable in this regard, and reads: “All candidates with evidence of hereditary haemolyticanaemias (due to red cell membrane defect or due to red cell enzyme deficiencies) and haemoglobinopathies (Sickle cell disease, Beta Thalassaemia: Major, Intermedia, Minor, Trait and Alpha Thalassaemia etc.) will be considered unfit for service.” 2. Aggrieved by the rejection of his candidature for enrolment in the NDA, the petitioner has instituted the present writ petition before this Court, praying as under: “In light of the facts and grounds mentioned herein above, it is respectfully prayed that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to