New Delhi :
The Supreme Court have slammed the Central government over non-compliance of the ‘Disabilities Act’. The top court also said the government must abide by the law and issued a warning that the court will summon chief secretaries of states concerned to explain the delay.
In an order dated 15 December 2017, the highest court had passed 11 directions, which included making public and educational institutions and transport disabled-friendly. The court said it was mandatory to provide safe and proper access to roads, buildings, transport and public places to enable the disabled persons to live with dignity and contribute to the nation’s progress.
The Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Ashok Bhushan asked the Centre to file a fresh affidavit detailing the work done so far and fixing a deadline to complete the directions of the court issued in its judgment within four weeks. It also expressed annoyance over the states not complying with its order.
“We have not said anything new in our verdict of 15 December 2017. It was your (Centre) law and we just asked you to comply with it. We are not running the government. It’s you who has to follow the law and the order,” the bench said.
The Supreme Court also passed a slew of directions, including that all government buildings providing any services to the public be made fully accessible to differently-abled persons by June 2019 as per provision of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.