HC raps Maharashtra govt for not making board on disabilities functional despite orders

Mumbai, Aug 16 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Maharashtra government for failing to make the state advisory board, constituted to frame policies under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, functional despite its orders.

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar had last month directed the government to make the board functional at the earliest. It had also ordered senior state government officials to hold a meeting to finalise names of non-official members of the board.

However, on Friday, the court was informed by additional government pleader Abhay Patki that officials met on August 13 but could not finalise the names of the non-official members.

This irked the HC bench, which said it knows how to get court orders complied with.

“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 court said.

Making the board was not only a court order but also the mandate of the legislature, the HC bench further said.

Asking state Advocate General Birendra Saraf to appear, the bench said, “Do not create a situation where something will be very displeasing.”

The bench asked Saraf to look into the issue and state within what period the board will be set up.

The HC has kept the matter for hearing on August 20.

The issue came up while hearing a matter taken up suo motu (on its own) by HC highlighting the problems caused by bollards that have been put up on footpaths in such a manner that it makes them inaccessible to disabled persons.