The Supreme Court on Friday has sought the response from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on a plea challenging notification issued ICAI permitting Chartered Accountant aspirants to “opt-out” of CA exams this year due to COVID-19 and related issues.
A bench comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was hearing a petition filed by the President of the “India Wide Parents Association”, Anubha Shrivastatva Sahai seeking quashing of the notification that allowed the CA aspirants to “opt out” of the CA exams this year due to COVID 19 which according to the petitioner is in violation of the fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
The petitioner has submitted that if the option was exercised then the underprivileged and unfortunate students who reside in red zones and containment zones will be losing out a year and those who are fortunate and have the means to access the exam centers living in big cities in green zones will have the benefit of attending the exams. This the petitioners have alleged to be an arbitrary and discriminatory move of the Institute.
The petitioners have urged the Court for a direction to provide more exam centres and free transport for those who do not reside in close proximity to the exam centre.
The bench has posted the matter for hearing on June 29.
-India Legal Bureau