"Will make all endeavours to deliver justice:" Lawyer with Bipolar Disorder set to be judge

Bhavya Nain has every reason to be proud. The Supreme Court recently upheld a verdict which called for his appointment as a judicial officer, after his candidature was rejected on the ground that his disability, Bipolar Affective Disorder (BPAD), was not of a permanent nature..The opinion of the medical board set up on the directions of the apex court had, however, found nothing to indicate that he will not be able to carry out his responsibilities as a judicial officer..Speaking to Bar & Bench, Bhavya, 36, said,“I was first diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 2010. It was not an easy diagnosis. I applied in the judicial services for the first time in 2018 and cleared all stages of the recruitment process. A lot of hard work was involved in 2020-2021 and it has been a long journey.”.His legal tussle began after he appeared for the Delhi Judicial Service Examination in 2018. After qualifying the main examination, Bhavya appeared for the interview but faced disappointment. His candidature was rejected on the ground that his disability was not found to be permanent according to his disability certificate.Upon his challenge to the rejection, the Delhi High Court held that persons with disability cannot be discriminated against in matters relating to employment, and directed for his selection in the judicial services.The Supreme Court recently upheld the Delhi High Court’s verdict, albeit for "little different reasons.”.Bhavya has crucial advice for those suffering from mental health issues. He suggests that consultation with a psychiatrist and follow-ups on the expert’s advice can be done so that problems do not aggravate.“With regular treatment and therapy, the situation can be managed very well and then the goals can be achieved through hard work,” he added..Bhavya’s father and Advocate Kanwal Nain recalls the day of Supreme Court’s verdict as the “biggest day of his life.”“It was the biggest day of my life when my son got selected. I was also hopeful that success can be achieved if you pursue it by putting the best efforts. The Delhi High Court gave us a patient hearing and a well reasoned judgment. Now it has been upheld by the Supreme Court, with a little different reasons by constituting a medical board, which gave the clearance,” he says..For the father, there could have not been any bigger achievement for his son, who worked extremely hard as a lawyer, teacher and researcher.“His hard work made him clear the three stages of his judicial selection process. I am grateful that our legal system is justice-oriented and acknowledges the rights of persons with disabilities. It is a good feeling one can have to realise that sooner or later, one can get to their goals,” he expressed.Bhavya credits the lawyers who helped him and without whom his success would not have been possible. “It is a proud moment for me and my family,” he said..His father feels grateful for the expertise of Senior Advocate Arvind Nigam, who “laid down the basic structure” of the case and put it forward eloquently before the Delhi High Court. He also praised Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur, whom he terms the "guiding force" in the High Court.“Senior Advocate Santosh K Rungta eloquently put forward my case before the Supreme Court of India with his large experience in fighting the cases for differently-abled persons. Special thanks also to Bhargava V Desai, who acted as mentor and who extended a helping hand in e-filing of pleadings and written arguments even at small hours of the day,” Kanwal said.Bhavya seems hopeful about the road ahead and wants to make "all endeavours to deliver justice."