Bombay HC Rebukes State Govt for Delays in Setting Up Disability Advisory Board

The Bombay High Court has recently criticized the Maharashtra government for its failure to make the state advisory board, established under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, functional despite the court’s directives.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar had directed the government last month to make the board functional as soon as possible. The court had also ordered senior state government officials to hold a meeting to finalize the names of the non-official members of the board.

However, the division bench was informed by additional government pleader Abhay Patki that officials had met on August 13 but had been unable to finalize the names of the non-official members.

This response displeased the division bench, which remarked that it knows how to ensure compliance with court orders.

“You intend to make this court (HC) dysfunctional? You think we don’t know how to get our orders complied with? Now tell us what to do?” the bench stated.

It further emphasized that establishing the board was not only a court order but also a legislative mandate.

The court asked state Advocate General Birendra Saraf to appear and warned, “Do not create a situation where something will be very displeasing.”

The bench instructed Saraf to address the issue and inform the court within what period the board will be set up.

The court has scheduled the matter for further proceedings on August 20, 2024.

The issue was raised while the bench was addressing a suo motu matter highlighting problems caused by bollards placed on footpaths in a manner that renders them inaccessible to disabled persons.

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