Madurai
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Friday ordered notice to the Centre and the State in a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to set up special courts to try offences against the differently abled, in each district as per Section 84 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and B. Pugalendhi ordered notices in the public interest litigation petition filed by R. Manibharathi from Madurai. The petitioner said special public prosecutors must be appointed to these courts.
The petitioner said that these special courts should have all infrastructures, modern equipment and experts for effective participation of the differently abled persons in the justice delivery system. Awareness programmes must be conducted all over the State on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, he said.
Further, the petitioner pointed out that as per Section 12 of the Act, appropriate governments shall ensure that differently abled persons can exercise the right to access courts, tribunals, commissions, authorities or any other body having judicial, quasi judicial or investigative powers without any discrimination based on disabilities.
Governments should take steps to put in place suitable support measures for the differently abled people to exercise legal rights. Section 13 of the Act states that the governments should ensure that differently abled people have rights equally with others, that included to own or inherit property and control financial affairs, he said.
The petitioner said that the special courts should have been set up within six months of the Act, but even after four years, it is yet to become a reality.
