The Karnataka High Court has ruled that individuals with "absolute blindness" should be given preference over those with "low vision" when it comes to employment opportunities, as long as their disability does not hinder their ability to perform the required tasks. This decision was made by a division bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice CM Joshi while dismissing an appeal by the Department of School Education against an earlier ruling by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT).

The case concerns H N Latha, a blind candidate from the Scheduled Caste community in Periyapatna taluk, Mysuru district. Latha had applied for the position of Kannada and social studies teacher at a government primary school in 2022. Her name was included in the selection list released on March 8, 2023. However, on July 4, 2023, her application was rejected, prompting her to challenge the decision before the KSAT. The tribunal ruled in her favour, awarding her Rs 10,000 in costs and instructing the appointing authority to reconsider her application within three months.