CENTRE INFORMS DELHI HC REGARDING GUIDELINES FOR PWDS

High court of Delhi has dismissed the plea regarding direction to the center for implementation of section 8 as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwDA) after gratifying itself with the work that has been done by the central government already. The single bench of justice V Kameshwar Rao dismissed the petition after pointing out that the central government has issued the guidelines already according to the section 8 of the PWD Act to put into effect the demands asked by the petitioner.

The court also notified that the concerned guidelines are being put into practice by the Delhi government already. According to the PIL it requests the court to direct the central government to categorize attendants, caretakers and support staff of the individuals with disabilities as medical staff and as a result, give them exceptions as per the National Disaster Management Act, including but not restricted to their transfer.

The petitioner further argues that given that the support staff/ caretakers are not being exempted as per the MHA norms and guidelines due to the nation-wide lockdown, they are not in a condition to have a pass for going from their residences to the residence of the person with disability so as to support him/her. Some of the attendants and caretakers are not registers under medical staff or personnel and because of that they do not come under the criterion that has been set by the government.

The concerned order has come after the PIL filed by a person who is enduring 100% disability which is below D5-6 level and according to that he cannot carry out his day to day activities without the support of an attendant or a caretaker. He is being represented by Advocates Ivo D’costa and Karan Mathur.