NEW DELHI, 22 Apr: The implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Act, 2016 is still at a “dismal stage,” the Supreme Court said on Monday while expressing displeasure over the failure of some states in framing the requisite rules.
Among other things, it noted that “while special courts for speedy trial of cases involving persons with disabilities have not been set up in Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, public prosecutors have not been appointed in the courts in Chhattisgarh and Daman & Diu.”
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala was hearing a plea seeking constitution of district-level committees to enforce the Act.
“Despite the lapse, the implementation of the Act is still at a dismal stage. Many states have not framed even the rules under the Act,” the bench said.
Noting that relevant rules had to be framed within six months of the enactment of the law, it said that several states have not even appointed commissioners as mandated under the Act.
“We are of the view that state of the implementation of the Act needs to be set right now,” it said and posted the matter for resumed hearing in the second week of July.
According to the Act, the rule-making powers of the state include the formation of a committee for research on disability, the composition of district-level committees and prescribing salaries, allowances and other conditions of services of the state commissioner, and creating funds for persons with disabilities. (PTI)
