The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh authorities to appoint a woman candidate as Constable in the Civil Police, after she was declared medically unfit over an alleged squint despite clearing all tests. The Court relied on a report by a medical board of King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, that certified her vision as normal.
A Bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi allowed the appeal filed by Akanksha Devi and set aside the High Court order that had dismissed her plea for a fresh medical examination.
Background
Akanksha Devi applied under the U.P. Police Constable Civil Direct Recruitment, 2023. She cleared the Document Verification and Physical Standard Test at the Reserve Police Line, Kanpur Dehat, on December 28, 2024, and was called for a medical examination on April 22, 2025.
There, she was orally informed that she was unfit due to a squint in the eyes. A re-examination by the Division Medical Board on April 25, 2025, under Rule 15(6)(d) of the UP Police Constable and Head Constable Service Rules, 2015, again declared her unfit. No rejection order or endorsement was given to her.
She then consulted two eye specialists in Kanpur, Dr. Parvej Khan of G.S.V.M. Medical College and Dr. Rizwan Ahmad of UHM District Hospital, who found her vision and colour perception normal. Her representation of May 16, 2025, seeking a fresh examination by an independent authority was rejected. The High Court then dismissed her petition on the ground that the selection process had concluded.
KGMU Medical Board Report
Noting that it had constituted a medical board in similar circumstances in another case, the Supreme Court, by order dated September 15, 2026, directed KGMU to set up a board of ophthalmology experts to examine her.
A team of four doctors examined her on October 8, 2026. Their report recorded best corrected vision of 6/6 in both eyes, with ocular direction straight and ocular movements within normal limits. The orthoptic clinic’s opinion recorded exophoria to intermittent exotropia with good control.
Court’s Findings
Relying on the report, the Bench observed, “The aforesaid Report would persuade us to accept the plea of the Appellant of having been deprived of her legitimate right for being appointed to the post of Police Constable Civil Police after having successfully cleared all the tests.”
The Court said it was acting in the peculiar facts of the case, particularly as the KGMU board had certified her vision as proper and normal.
Outcome
The Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s order and directed the respondents to issue her an appointment order or call letter, if she is otherwise entitled. However, the Bench made it “explicitly clear that the Appellant shall not claim seniority over the candidates who have already been appointed till date.”
Case Title: Akanksha Devi v. State of U.P. & Ors.
Case No.: Civil Appeal No. 14041 of 2026
Bench: Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi
Date: 02.11.2026
