1. The Supreme Court deems implementation of the PwD Act, 2016 as “dismal,” citing slow progress.
2. States like Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal were faulted for lacking special courts for disability cases.
3. Court emphasizes urgency in rectifying the situation, and schedules further hearings for July.
Itanagar, April 23: The Supreme Court criticized the slow implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act, 2016, stating it remains at a “dismal stage.”
Particularly, the court highlighted the failure of some states like Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal to establish special courts for expeditious trial of cases involving persons with disabilities.
Furthermore, public prosecutors haven’t been appointed in courts in Chhattisgarh and Daman & Diu.
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A plea for the establishment of district-level committees to enforce the Act was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala.
Despite time passing, the court observed lacking implementation of the Act, noting many states have yet to draft required rules and appoint commissioners as mandated.
“We are of the view that the state of the implementation of the Act needs to be rectified promptly,” remarked the bench, scheduling the matter for further hearing in July.
