CJI strict on disability law, reprimanded state governments
Raipur/Delhi. Chief Justice of the country (CJI) Justice DY Chandrachud has expressed disappointment over the delay in implementing the law made for the rights of disabled people across the country and has strongly reprimanded those state governments which have not yet taken steps in this direction. No concrete action could be taken. The Supreme Court on Monday lamented that the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPWD Act) remains disappointing across India despite more than five years since the law came into force.
A division bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala, while hearing a public interest case, remarked that it has been five years since the Act related to the rights of the disabled was enacted but till now many state governments are sitting idle. The CJI expressed deep disappointment that many states have not even appointed commissioners yet. According to a Bar & Bench report, CJI DY Chandrachud said, many states have not even made rules under the Act, which were to be completed within 6 months. Along with this, the CJI said that the states which have not appointed Disability Commissioners to oversee the matters related to the rights of the disabled, will do so immediately.
Highlighting the current situation of the states, CJI Chandrachud said, “Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar have not yet appointed Disability Commissioners.” He further said, “Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Mizoram, West Bengal, Delhi, and Union Territories of Daman Diu, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have not yet made separate allocation of funds under Section 88 of this Act. ” The CJI remarked that in Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, neither special courts have been created nor public prosecutors have been deployed for speedy trial of cases related to persons with disabilities. He said that Chhattisgarh and Union Territory Daman Diu have courts but no public prosecutors, whereas the evaluation board has not been formed in Chhattisgarh.
