In Brief
This interlocutory application arose from a long-standing writ petition on disability rights. The Court reviewed compliance with the 1995 Persons with Disabilities Act and directed States to prepare compliance reports under the new Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which came into force on 19 April 2017. The 2016 Act significantly expands protections by increasing employment reservation to 4%, introducing access to justice provisions, providing free education, mandating private sector incentives, and creating national and state disability funds. The Court held that States have constitutional and statutory obligations to implement these provisions scrupulously. It emphasized that disability rights span employment, education, transport, public buildings, and social security. The Court directed States to file comprehensive compliance reports within twelve weeks, warning that non-compliance with statutory disability protections constitutes a serious breach of governmental duty."
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