Showing posts with label Madras High Court. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madras High Court. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Madras HC raps a private school for refusing to admit a child with autism

Court:  High Court of Judicature at Madras

Bench: Hon'ble Jutice C.V. Karthikeyan

Case No.: W.P. No. 24973 of 2022

Case Title: The Child Vs. State of Tamilnadu 

Date of Judgement:  22.02.2023

Brief:

Fuming over the denial of admission to a special needs child, the Madras High Court rapped a school run in the name of a missionary for not following the principles of the missionary and betraying her name and Christian faith.

Justice CV Karthikeyan made the comments while disposing of a petition filed by a minor child who was denied admission at a popular missionary school in Vellore. Quoting previous judgments on admitting children with special needs in schools under the right to education act, the judge said the courts have always been sensitive to children with special needs, expressing hope that educational institutions would not betray children with special needs.

“The sixth respondent (school) has failed not only in this duty but also betrayed the name of the noble Missionary and extremely, extremely distressingly their Christian faith,” he deplored. The order was passed on the petition filed by the minor child, represented by her mother, currently residing at Gandhi Nagar, Katpadi in Vellore, seeking orders from the school to admit the child.

The child, diagnosed with mild autism spectrum disorder, was earlier admitted to a CBSE school in Padur. After the covid lockdown, the child developed some difficulties and was taken to the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMED) at Kovalam in Chennai.

The mother, a government officer, got transferred to Vellore and the father resigned from his job to take care of the child before the child was at the CMC Hospital in Vellore in 2021 for assessment and was confirmed special needs child.

After several schools denied admission citing a lack of special educators, the mother approached the missionary school in 2022 for admission. After holding a written examination and an interview with the child, the school refused admission saying that it had no special educators to take care of the child.

The mother, in her affidavit, stated that the website of the school had sported messages about having special teachers to support students with special education needs. Aggrieved over the denial of admission, she approached the concerned government authorities before moving to the High Court.

The judge said the sixth respondent/school is quite pathetically and ironically named after a third-generation American Medical Missionary in India. It makes him wonder whether those in administration today are riding on that name without following her principles or the core conduct which the noble lady adhered to.

Saying that the missionary, who lived between 1870 and 1960 dedicated her life to assuaging the plight of Indian women and worked tirelessly helping those afflicted with ‘bubonic plague, cholera and leprosy’, the judge said, “Very very unfortunately, her name is used by an institution which had taken a conscious decision to drive away a child and her parents, who had sought refuge and admission.”

Finding a touch of hollowness in the belated offer of admission to the school, he felt that such an offer should have been given voluntarily. The judge said the court would not stand in the way of decision-making by the mother. 

“I hope that if at all the mother takes a decision to admit the child in the sixth respondent, they would prove false my words expressed above and if they do so, I shall be the most satisfied person. The entire issue is in their hands,” he said concluding the verdict.

Read /Download the Judgement

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Diverse Stakeholders Move Madras High Court in support of Accesssible Low Floor Buses - say, it also helps them - not just the disabled.

Kindly refer to our post dated 22 July 2022,  26 August 2022 on the subject of procurement of low floor accesssible buses in the State of Tamilnadu. Despite the Court directions, the State has been hell bent on arguing in favour of the high floor inaccessible buses that puts a large population of persons with disabilities in the state at a disadvantage and denying them their right to equality when it comes to public transportation. The state has been trying to argue that it would buy some percentage of buses as acessible low floor misinterpreting the Law of the land and citing reasons of floods and high costs of accesssible buses. 

The accessible low floor buses are not just an issue of disabled people alone. It impacts a large number of users of public transport such as women wearing saris, children, women who are family way, people of short stature. In fact, all persons feel safe when an accessible mode of transport is provided.

To support the case of demand for mandatory low floor accessible buses, a woman with mobility impairment on both her lower limbs, a 70-year-old lawyer with 44 years of standing in the Bar, a pregnant college student and a 68-year-old retired entrepreneur have moved Madras High Court through a public interest litigation, in support of a plea to ensure that all intra-city government buses are universally accessible. The PIL plea says that senior citizens, pregnant women and vendors also find it difficult to board the government buses, hencce the state needs to be directed to only purchase accessible low floor buses.

Acting Chief Justice T. Raja and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy on Monday granted time till December 21 for the Transport Department to respond to their petitions for impleading as parties in a public interest litigation (PIL) petition preferred by cross disability rights activist Vaishnavi Jayakumar of Chennai.

The activist had challenged a tender notification issued on October 10 for procuring 1,771 fully built non-AC diesel buses including 1,170 buses with a floor height of 900 mm. She contended that the law permits procurement of only low floor buses (400 mm) or with a maximum floor height of 650 mm with ramps/kneeling system/lifts for entry.

The Transport Department had already filed a counter affidavit stating that it would not be possible to ply only low floor buses in all cities unless and until the allied infrastructure, such as good roads, was fully in place. It also asserted that no law or court order had been violated in the recent tender notification.

However, in her affidavit in support of the impleading petition, P. Kavitha, a differently abled woman, said she was dependent on a pair of crutches and calipers for commuting from one place to another and that it was virtually impossible for her to either board or get down from buses with a floor height of 900 mm.

“The concentrated weight of the calipers on my lower limbs (which is around 4 kgs) makes the process of climbing the high steep steps extremely cumbersome and time consuming. As a result, I am often at the receiving end of my co-passengers’ irritation and impatience vis-à-vis holding up the bus,” she said.

She highlighted that inaccessibility of public transport affects the freedom of movement of persons with locomotor and other disabilities. The tender notification under challenge had been issued in callous disregard of the need for accessible public transport for the differently-abled individuals, she complained.

Advocate Sudha Ramalingam too wanted to implead herself as party in the case on the ground that high floor buses were nightmare to embark and disembark not only for the differently abled but also for the elderly dependent on public transport.

She said women with infants and young kids too find it difficult to access the high floor buses and that the fruit and flower vendors too struggle to get into the buses. Many had suffered injuries on the knees and legs while accessing the buses, she lamented and said, low floor buses were a fundamental requirement and not a luxury.

Similarly, T.S. Santhakumari, a 68-year-old retired entrepreneur, supported her view and said senior citizens with knee pain could not travel in government buses due to the very high floor height. She said that low floor buses would provide the elderly people the confidence and the joy of being able to travel without much difficulty.

Yet another impleading petitioner M.K. Divyadeshna, a 7-month pregnant college student, said, she had to travel from Tiruvallur to Guindy on a daily basis to pursue her studies. Government buses were the only affordable means of travel but the risk in travelling in them, due to their inaccessible nature, was beyond contemplation, she rued.

It is interesting to note as to how the state would cotinue to ignore the needs of a vast section of society misinterpreting the mandate of the accessibility law anchored in the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016 and Rules made thereunder.

Related News: The Hindu.  





Friday, August 26, 2022

Madras HC dismissed the plea of TN Govt. seeking clarification of the order that directed them to purchase only accessible low floor buses.

Court:             Madras High Court, India

Case Title:     The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Ltd. Vs. Vaishnavi Jayakumar & Ors.

Case No. :      WMP/83132/2022 in WP/5957/2021

Filed on :        03-08-2022  

Reiterating its earlier order, the Madras High Court refused to alter or clarify its earlier order dated 05 Jul 2022 on allowing only low floor disabled friendly buses in the state.  The earlier order had directed the state transport corporations to procure 2,213 buses in strict compliance with the rules and regulations of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act and that cannot be altered, said the  the first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala.

“The order was passed as per the directions of the Supreme Court. If you (the corporation) want to alter it you have to approach the Supreme Court,”

While passing the last order, the the bench had lifted the ban on procuring new public transport buses on condition that the corporation shall comply with the rules and regulations of the RPWD Act. Subsequently, alleging that the condition to comply with the rules caused an impediment, the corporation moved a memo to clarify the order.

The corporation sought to submit that operating the low-floor disabled-friendly buses was difficult, as it caused damage to buses. But the court refused to accept the contention, and thus the plea was permitted to be withdrwan and thus the Court dismissed the same as withdrawn. 

The attempt of the corporation only shows that instead of addressing the accessibility of roads and buses, it sought to find ways not to implemnet the law of the land citing frivolous excuses for a long time. In earlier matters filed before the Madras HC, the court had clearly said that while it accepted that it may be difficult and costly to make the existing buses accessible, henceeforth all new buses purchased to replenish the public trdansport fleet must be accessible complying with the law and the State happily agreed to it. However, it started putting forth flimsy excuses and did not take any action on improving the road infrastructure, bus boarding platforms and road conditions etc.

Here is the copy of the Affidavit on behalf of Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Ltd. embedded below:

Monday, August 8, 2022

Madras HC | WP No. 23154 of 2015 | D Ramkumar Vs. Pondicherry Society for Higher Education and Others | 08 Aug 2022

 Court: High Court of Madras

Bench: MR. JUSTICE M.S. RAMESH

Case No. & Title: W.P.No.23154 of 2015, D Ramkumar Vs. Pondicherry Society for Higher Education and Others.

Date of Judgement: 08 Aug 2022

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Brief Facts:

The petitioner, a 100% blind Associate Professor/HOD of English was transferred to another college citing that it was women college and all male teachers need to be shifted to other colleges, while many male teacherss continued to work and only the petitioner was transferred with malafile objectives. This was challenged by the petititioner. Single bench rejected his case but the in the appeal before the  Division Bench of this Court, the bench clearly held that the order of transfer was discriminatory and arbitrary, which has to be regarded as illegal. And thus the petitioner returned to his colleges. The college however, refused to pay salary and other monetary benefits for the period and rejected on the ground of "no work no pay" and that the Bench had specifically not directed to pay the wages.

The petitioner again had to take up the matter. The bench held, the claim for the monetary benefits including the salary after the transfer order, cannot be rejected on the ground of 'no work, no pay.  The court further held that  when the order of transfer of the petitioner was set aside by this Court, the consequential service and monetary benefits arising therefrom between 26.11.2013 and 29.06.2014 would automatically become a part of such an order and no specific directions need be given for payment of such benefits. If that be so, the petitioner herein need not specifically plead for the relief of consequential service and monetary benefits, in the earlier round of litigations. Incidentally, since the Hon'ble Division Bench had not denied these benefits to the petitioner, it ought to be held that he would be entitled for all these benefits. 

The court passed direction to the first respondent to forthwith regularise the period between 25.11.2013 and 29.06.2014, as duty period for all purposes and extend all the service and monetary benefits arising thereto, within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

Read the judgement embeddded below:

Madras HC | PIL titled Rajiv Rajan Vs. The MTC(C)L & Ors on implementation of PWD Act 1995

Bench:  M.M.SUNDRESH, J. and R.HEMALATHA,J.

Case No. WP No. 38224 of 2005

Case Title: Rajiv Rajan  Vs Chairman and Managing Director, Metropolitan Transport Corpn (Chennai) Ltd. and 3 others.

Sub: PIL for Accessible and Disabled friendly  Public Infratructure, Railways Stations, Buses, Bus Shelters, Publlic Toilets, Metro Rail etc.  

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Rajiv Rajan                                                         .. Petitioner 

vs 

1.The Chairman and Managing Director Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Ltd., An Undertaking of the Government of Tamil Nadu Pallavan House, Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002 

2.The Commissioner Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Building, Chennai 600 003 

3.The State Co-ordination Committee, Rep. By Chairperson Secretary, Department of Social Welfare Government of Tamil Nadu Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009 

4.The Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, 15/1, Model School Road Thousand Lights, Chennai 600 006                                                 .. Respondents


Brief:

This Writ petition was filed by our colleague Mr. Rajiv Rajan, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the respondents more particularly respondents 1 and 2 to implement “The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995” in its spirit by providing user friendly transport, access and barrier free environment in the public places giving access to the usage of transport system.

The court passed comprehensive order on 02.03.2006 and thereafter the matter has been kept live for follow ups. 

On 10-9-2014, the bench of  Mr. Sanjay Kishan Kaul, The Chief Justice and Mr. Justie M. Sathyanarayanan disposed off the matter in terms of order already passed on 2.3.2006. However, the bench directed the Governemnt to file compliance report every month setting out what action they have taken under Sections 44 to 46 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, separately in that 3 month to comply with the directions. The matter was thus to be listed every month for compliance.

On 06.04 2016 the Learned Amicus suggested that for the time being, the issue which we are required to address is the lack of improvement by Metro Transport Corporation (MTC) and State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) in introducing buses which are disabled friendly. On the other hand, learned counsel appearing for the MTC and SETC submited that though initially there was some restraint in respect of procuring buses, it had been observed that there may be some buses procured dedicated for the use of persons with special needs, but the passengers found travelling in such buses were few. 

The bench however was of the view that any steps to be taken for the benefit of the persons with special needs has to be inclusive in character. The idea cannot be to have separate buses, but buses which are used daily by passengers meeting the requirement of Persons with special needs. It is not possible to predetermine the route to be travelled, the destination to be reached etc., by introducing buses only for certain routes which are disabled friendly. The objective has to be, over a period of time, to make sure all the buses in use meet the requirement of people with special needs. This can only happen if procurement of such buses which are meant to cater to the people with special needs, as otherwise what has happened would continue to happen – introducing of new buses in the fleets which still do not meet the requirement of the people with special needs. 

The court thus directed that any new buses to be introduced in the fleets must meet the requirement of the people with special needs and as per the norms in consultation with the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. In determining whether a bus is disabled friendly, inter alia, it has to be ensured that there is easy access for boarding and alighting.

On 28.06.2016, The court expressed, "the necessity of new buses meeting the requirement of persons with special needs as per norm and consultation with the Commission for Persons with Disabilities cannot be doubted. However, what is sought to be projected is that in some of the routes, a bus shelter may not be conducive to the ingress and egress for such buses. If that be the position, the first respondent, can always address the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Chennai/2nd respondent which would be mandated to make the necessary adjustments. It has also been stated that a policy decision would have to be taken by the Government, as the first respondent has no funds even to buy buses. In this behalf, all that we can say is that at some stage, the State Government would have to take a call as to how the first respondent is to be managed financially, if it wants the Corporation to continue. There can be buses already on the way out as per norms and we are conscious of the fact that it may be difficult to convert the existing buses and therefore our direction is for buses procured in future to comply with the requirements, so that over a period of time, all buses will become compliant.

on 05.07.2022, the bench directed that a copy of the compliance reports filed in W.P.No. 923 of 2007 shall be kept in this writ petition for reference. And on next date of hearing i.e. 02.08.2022, the Bench of Chief Justice and Justice N. Mala, ordered the matter to be closed based on compliance reports being filed by the Govt. 




Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Madrash HC: Chennai Metro Stations do not meet accessibility mandate of Harmonized Guidelines - argues Disability Activist

Court:         Madrash High Court

Bench:        Admitted by Bench of M.M.SUNDRESH, J. and R.HEMALATHA, J.

Case No.     W.P. No. 11041 of 2020

Case Title:  Vaishnavi Jayakumar  Vs. State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities & CMRL

Case admitted on : 21.08.2020

Next Date: 27.07.2022

Case Brief

This Writ Petition has been filed by our colleague Ms. Vashnavi Jayakumar of Disabilty Rights Alliance, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Mandamus Directing the 2nd respondent i.e. Chennai Metrol Rail Ltd.  to forthwith retrofit its existing metro stations to comply with the Harmonised Guidelines and space standards for Barrier Free BuiltEnvironment for persons with Disabilities and Elderly Persons issued by the Ministry of Urban Development in 2016 and to strictly comply with section 41 of the Rights of persons with Disabilities Act 2016 read with Rule 15 of Rights of persons with Disabilities Rules 2017 in the design and Construction of metro Stations under Construction, including stations planned in the future.

The petitioner informed the court that the metro stations constructed by the respondent CMRL were in violation of the law and were not universally accessible. As per the petitioner, the following features needed to be included in the stations:

i. Anti-reflective flooring which contrasts with walls in colour and is non-slip in dry or wet conditions (resistance of 40-70)
ii. Wheelchair accessible ticket counter with audio induction loop for hearing aid users
iii. Accessible kiosks for blind passengers and wheelchair users.
iv. High contrast signage, displays, information tools and controls with multimodal communication
v. Sliding doors for accessible toilets
vi. Universally designed safety and evacuation equipment
vii. Tactile, high contrast way-finding
viii. Accessible parking

Through various interim orders, all the 32 Metro stations of the CMRL were access audited to see if they meet the requirements of the Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards 2016 and the respondent has been implementing the same to comply with law.

On 11 Sep 2020, the bench of Mr. Justice MM Sundresh and MRs. Justice R. Hemalatha  directed the first respondent to depute his officials to undertake inspection exercise after making inspection to the existing Metro Rail Stations and file a report on the sufficiency of the infrastructure facilities qua disabled persons. A report in this regard will have to be filed on or before 06.10.2020.

On 11 Dec 2020, the learned counsel for the petitioner had drawn the attention of the Court to Rule 15 of the Right of Persons with Disabilities Rules 2017, as well as the order of ad-interim direction dated 28.06.2016 made in WP.No. 38224/2005 titled Rajiv Rajan Vs. CMD, Metropolitan Transport Corporn (Chennai) Ltd.  and submitted that in the light of the mandate cast upon the relevant statutory provisions, it is obligatory rather mandatory upon the 2nd respondent to strictly comply with the said provisions so as to make the Metro Rail Stations as well as travel disabled friendly and prays for appropraite directions.

On 15 June 2022 the counsel for the second respondent/CMRL submitted that the matter may be taken up after six weeks so that they can take further action to comply with the Harmonised Guidelines and space standards for Barrier Free Built Environment for persons with Disabilities and Elderly Persons. It is, however, submitted that except this, necessary action has already been taken, leaving few, which would also be taken up within the period of six weeks.  

In view of the submissions made by CMRL, the respondents have been given time to take necessary action. The matter has been posted to July 27 for further hearing

Watch out this space for the developments.



Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Madras HC | TN Govt. GO to the extent it offends RPWD Act or Provisions of Harmonised Guidelines & SC Judgement in Rajive Raturi case.

Court:          Madras High Court

Bench:         Mr. Munishwar Nath Bhandari, Chief Justice and Mrs. Justice N. Mala. 

Case No.      W.P.No. 5957 of 2021

Case Title:     Vaishnavi Jayakumar Vs. State of Tamil Nadu & two Others

Date of Judgement: 05 July 2022

The writ petition challenges a G.O.  on the ground of violation of Section 41 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. It is also on the ground that when no direction has been given by the Apex Court to have only 10% of the government buses disabled friendly, G.O. indicates only 10% of the total number of Government buses to be low floor buses. 

Further to our previous post dated 22 July 2021 titled Madras HC to Tamil Nadu Govt. - No purchasing buses for public transport, unless they are disabled friendly.

On 26.08,2021, it was again submitted on behalf of the State that even though the legal requirement may not have been complied with, certain other factors need also to be taken into consideration, particularly in the wake of the pandemic and the economic loss suffered by all States, including this State. It is further submitted that though it is imperative that all buses become disabled friendly, but the disabled friendly buses cost much more than ordinary buses and require much better road conditions, particularly within the city limits, than may now be available. 

The bench however, said, "Appropriate measures should have been taken much earlier so that things would not come to such a pass. Though it can be appreciated that the pandemic has caused a severe loss and city roads may still not be viable to receive low platform heavy duty vehicles, there has to be much more acquisition of disabled friendly buses and investment in appropriate roads since the law has been in place for a considerable period of time. At the same time, some latitude may be offered so that the larger public interest is served and the blanket embargo on acquisition of buses does not completely disable the public transport system."

Matter was finally heard and disposed off on 05 July 2022, in following terms:

"the writ petition is disposed of causing interference with G.O.Ms.No.31 dated 24.02.2021 only to the extent that it offends any of the provisions of the Act or Rules or the Harmonised Guidelines issued by the Government of India and directing the respondents to ply all the Government buses, in conformity with the provisions of the Act and Rules and the Harmonised Guidelines quoted above and in the light of the judgment of the Apex Court in the case of Rajive Raturi supra. There will be no order as to costs

 Read the Judgement dated 05 July 2022  embedded herein below:

Madrash HC: M. Gnanasambandam Vs. Govt. of India | WP No. 923 of 2007 | 05 July 2022

Court:                     Madras High Court

Bench:                    Mr.Munishwar Nath Bhandari, Chief Justice and Mrs. Justice N. Mala. 

Case No.                WP No. 923 of 2007

Case Title:             M. Gnanasambandam  Vs. Union of India 

Date of Order:       05 July 2022

This Petition was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for a writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to take the following measures to facilitate the effective implementation of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995: 

I. To frame and notify comprehensive Rules immediately for according recognition to various types of Schemes (Educational Institutions for the Disabled) as provided under Chapter V Education under the PWD Act. 

II. To distribute scholarships to all school going children with disabilities in time. 

III. To direct the Central and State Governments to issue notifications to make schemes to provide Aids and Appliances to persons with Disabilities. 

IV. To direct the respondents to enquire into in detail from the year 2002 onwards about the alleged violations in the distributions of Aids and Appliances under ADIP Scheme as well as Inclusive Education Programme under Sarva Shiksha Abiyan and submit a Report before this Hon'ble Court. 

V. To direct the respondents to initiate necessary punitive action against those responsible for such kinds of nefarious acts and take suitable measures to prevent such malpractices in future. 

VI. To direct the respondents to make schemes providing for medical benefits, expenses and treatment for persons with Disabilities.

VII. To direct the respondents to make provisions for terminally ill and chronically sick children with disabilities as well as adult and aged persons with disabilities for providing life ling care, protection and medical treatment free of cost, irrespective of the type of disability. 

VIII. To direct the respondents to provide with appropriate social security to the destitute and abandoned children as well as adult and aged persons with disabilities, till their death, irrespective of the type of disability. 

IX. To direct the respondents to streamline the admission of persons afflicted with mental illness in appropriate Pshychiatric Rehabilitation Centres. 

X. To direct the respondents to form a Monitoring Authority or Enforcement Mechanism at the State as well as District levels which can be empowered to supervise and report to the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the State Commissioner for the Disabled about the proper implementation of the provisions of the Act in the respective States.

XI. To direct the respondents to entrust the State and District Legal Services Authority with the task of protecting the rights of persons with Disabilities. 

XII. To direct the respondents to bring all the social legislations viz., 

i. The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. 

ii. The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999; and

iii. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 under one umbrella; and 

XIII. To direct the respondents to empower the State and District Legal Service Authorities to supervise the smooth functioning of the above Acts at all levels. 

The writ petition was registered as Public Interest Litigation, pursuant to the letter written by the petitioner.  Taking note of the issues raised in the petition, directions were issued by this Court while taking cognizance of the matter and sought for compliance. 

The compliance report has been submitted from time to time. Below the interim order passed on 10 December 2020. 

   

 After the registration of the petition, there are changes not only in terms of the position of law, but even in reference to the administrative instructions, such as Guidelines for the Government/Public transport. Rules of 2017 was introduced and Rule 15 of the Rules 2017 was applicable. The Harmonised Guidelines was also issued and thereby, there is a sea change subsequent to the registration of the case on all the issues.

In view of the above, it would be appropriate to close the writ petition with liberty to the writ petitioner to come up with a fresh writ petition if any issue remains unaddressed. There will be no order as to costs.

Read the final dated order dated 05 July 2022 embedded below: 

Monday, December 20, 2021

Madras HC | M. Sameeha Barvin Vs. Govt. of India (Min. of Youth and Sports)

Court:         Madras High Court

Bench:         Justice R Mahadevan

Case Title:  M. Sameeha Barvin Vs.  Govt. of India (Min. of Youth and Sports) and Four Others

Case No.      Writ Petition No. 16953 of 2021

Date of Judgement : 20 December  2021

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Brief Case

“Disabled women struggle with both the oppression of being women in male dominated societies and the oppression of being disabled in societies dominated by the able-bodied”  - Susan Wendell

This explains the tribulations faced by the petitioner, who finds it impossible to speak or listen, but able to achieve gold and silver medals in long jump and high jump at the State and National levels, having been denied the opportunity of participation in the Fourth World Deaf Athletics Championship, 2021, held at Lublin, Poland and being able to participate in the same only on the strength of the interim order dated 13.08.2021, on knocking the doors of this Court.

The 18-year-old M. Sameeha Barvin had moved the court alleging gender discrimination after AISCD refused to select her despite a good performance in the trials. In her petition, Sameeha said that of the 12 athletes who had participated, 10 were men and two women and she had finished first in the latter category. On seeking to know why she wasn’t selected, it was disclosed that the selection authorities were against sending a lone female member to the event. The athlete, who has 90 per cent hearing impairment, said this amounts to gender discrimination.

Justice R Mahadevan who investigated the issue said Sameeha’s effort can’t be ignored. “Even going by the past records of the petitioner, she had won 11 gold medals, one silver and one bronze in various state and national events. This achievement of the petitioner cannot be simply brushed aside,” he said. Furthermore, he stated that no female athletes were selected, and Barwin deserves to take part in the championship. 

“Admittedly, out of the five selected athletes, none of the female athlete were selected. In the female category, it was the petitioner who stood first and therefore, in all fairness, the petitioner ought to have been selected by the respondents so that she could bring laurels to the country by participating in the 4th World Deaf Athletics Championship,” the court said.

Interim order: 

The Madras High Court single bench had earlier issued an interim order directing the All India Sports Council of the Deaf (AISCD) to permit 18-year-old athlete Sameeha Barwin to participate in the World Deaf Athletics Championship to be held at Lublin, Poland from August 23-28,2021. The representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports had said the ministry will abide by the court’s decision. 

The Final Order:

After the detailed analysis and findings, the Court  reached the conclusion that this was a case of discrimination based on the gender as well as the disability, due to which, the petitioner  faced several difficulties and barriers to participate in the international event. The State and Central Governments, being the competent authorities to provide and ensure support and safety to the sports women with disabilities, so as to inspire their confidence freely and take part actively in the events at all levels, have failed to do the same in an appropriate manner. 

Therefore, in exercise of the power  conferred under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to render substantial justice, this court issues the following directions to the respondent authorities for the purpose of streamlining the policy qua woman athletes with disabilities, in consultation with experts, so as to enable them to participate in all the events at State, National and International levels, with equality and dignity:

(i)    to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination against the women athletes with disabilities, on one or more grounds including race, gender, sex, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.

(ii)    to provide adequate financial assistance and all other requisites to the women athletes with disabilities, so as to participate in all the events.

(iii)    to follow proper selection process, so as to enable the meritorious candidates to participate in the events.

(iv)    To provide necessary training and free medical facilities to all the women athletes with disabilities, who achieve meritorious level in the respective sports for participation in all the international games.

(v)    to provide all possible means to entertain women athletes with disabilities to utilise their fullest potentials and capabilities so as to achieve success in all the events.

(vi)    to provide all the disabled friendly materials, clothes, prosthetics and other accessories that may be required by the women athletes with disabilities in day today affairs, with incentives so as to encourage and nurture their excellence in the respective sports and to participate in the events at all levels.

(vii)    to extend the financial assistance to one of the family members, who accompany the disabled female athletes to participate in the international games. 

(viii)    To give effect to the principle of reasonable accommodation by providing all assistance that are required / requested by the females athletes with disabilities so as to enable them to participate in the international games, on par with males.

(ix)    to ensure safety and security of the female athletes with disabilities during their travel, irrespective of number of participants, so as to inspire their confidence freely and take part actively in the events at all levels.

(x )    to sensitize the male counter parts and inculcate the sense of equality in their mind, so as to maintain safe environment for women athletes at all levels.

(xi)    to reward all the disabled women participants in the international games, irrespective of their achievements or otherwise.

(xii)    Must ensure that all the women athletes whether with or without disabilities, be given equal treatment on par with males, so as to enjoy full and equal rights and freedoms and to maintain their dignity.

Read the Court Order embedded below:

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Madras HC to Tamil Nadu Govt. - No purchasing buses for public transport, unless they are disabled friendly

Court: Madrash High Court, India

Bench: Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy 

Case No(s): W.P. No. 5957 of 2021(Lead Case) along with WP 38224 of 2005 and WP 923 of 2007

Case Title:     Vaishnavi Jayakumar Vs. State of Tamil Nadu & two Others (Lead Case)

Date of Hearing: 22 July 2021

Case Brief 

In a push for the rights and independence of people with disabilities in their commute, the Madras high court on Thursday restrained Tamil Nadu from purchasing any new bus to its fleet in the public transport system unless such buses were disabled-friendly as prescribed by law.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed the interim injunction on a batch of pleas that have been pending before the court for years including from as far back as 2005, seeking universal use of disabled-friendly buses in public tranport fleet. 

One of the writ petitions in the batch i.e. W.P. No. 5957 of 2021 had been filed by cross disability rights advocate, Vaishnavi Jayakumar. She had challenged a Government Order (GO) issued on February 24 this year, for introduction of only 10% of low floor buses and 25% of buses fitted with lift mechanism or any other suitable mode, to provide easy access to wheelchair bound passengers, out of the total buses to be procured for Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Limited.

The petitioner had contended that the GO violates Section 41 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016. The legislation requires the State government to take suitable measures to provide facilities for persons with disabilities at bus stops, railway stations and airports and also access to all modes of transport by even retrofitting old modes of transport wherever it was technically feasible.

She said the GO for introducing only 10% of low floor buses and those with lift mechanism was also in violation of Articles 14 (equality before law) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution. “The GO is an arbitrary exercise of power by the State. It is not only in complete violation of the rights of persons with disabilities but also contumacious, since it violates several judicial orders,” she said.

The petitioner had sought to restrain the state from acquiring any further bus unless it conforms to the requirements of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017 and under the latter, Rule 15 in particular. Rule 15 mandates that every establishment complies with the specified standard as indicated in a notification issued by the Government of India on September 20, 2016.

Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram said the government was purchasing disabled-friendly buses in phases because the roads were in bad shape and they would damage the low-floored buses.

Advocate Rita Chandrasekar, representing Metropolitan Transport Corporation, said the low floor buses cost ₹58 lakh each as against ₹26 lakh for regular buses and hence there was a delay in purchasing such buses.

The state's submission that low-floor buses were expensive and would be damaged by bad roads was rejected. The state has been submitting excuses of certain practical difficulties, particularly in finding resources not only to acquire the more expensive buses but also to create the road infrastructure required for such sophisticated buses. It sought more time to indicate a roadmap.

Rejecting their submissions, the bench in its order said, "In view of the mandate of the statute, read with the Rules framed thereunder and the notification published in accordance therewith, there may be no room to manoeuvre and little scope for the court to delay the implementation of the policy as reflected in the statute and the laws made thereunder.

The court further said in its order, "the State seeks time to indicate a road-map. However, it is necessary that the State be restrained from acquiring any further bus for the public transport system which does not conform to the specifications indicated in the notification of September 20, 2016 referred to above. In other words, the State will not acquire any new bus for use thereof as part of the public transport system unless such bus meets the standards indicated in the notification of September 20, 2016".

Read the interim order dated 22 Jul 2021, embedded below:





Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Madras HC rejects the argument that victim’s evidence could not be relied upon since she was blind

Madras High Court, rejecting the argument of the petitioner that victim’s evidence could not be relied upon since she was blind, said, “The victim as a blind lacks vision, but her version had vision and hence, this court holds that the evidence of the victim is admissible in evidence.”

According to the prosecution, auto driver Anbu Selvan was hired to transport the victim to her music class. However, he kidnapped her to a secluded location and sexually harassed her besides trying to kill her if she did not cooperate.

Challenging a trial court order awarding a seven-year jail term to him, Anbu Selvan moved the high court. Justice R M T Teekka Raman, however, termed Anbu Selvan as a ‘heartless person’ who had capitalised on the helpless situation of the visually challenged person and sexually assaulted her.

He is not entitled to reduction of sentence, not even for a single day, the judge asserted. Citing circumstantial and other evidence, the judge said, “Merely because of the disability, evidence of disabled persons cannot be treated as inferior in nature.”

Anbu Selvan had also argued, “The identity of the accused was not proved in the manner known to law and since the witness (victim) is a blind, her evidence cannot be termed as eye witness if at all, can be termed only as a hearsay witness which is inadmissible in evidence.”

The trial court convicted him for offences under sections 366 (kidnapping a woman), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (ii) (Criminal intimidation) of the IPC and Section 4 (harassment of woman) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Woman Harassment Act primarily based on the evidence of the victim woman.

Merely because a victim of sexual harassment had visual disability, her evidence against the culprit cannot become inadmissible, said the court, awarding seven-year imprisonment to an autorickshaw driver who assaulted the woman. The court then recommended the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority to grant Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the victim under the Tamil Nadu Victim Compensation Scheme.


Monday, May 4, 2015

Madras HC asks for all GOs by Tamil Nadu on disability reservation for judicial scrutiny

Govt orders on disabled quota under HC scrutiny
TNN | May 3, 2015, 12.42AM IST

CHENNAI: All government orders in Tamil Nadu allowing or disallowing disabled persons from applying for certain posts in government services have come under judicial scrutiny, with the Madras high court making it clear that it would go through all such orders and circulars to ascertain possible anomalies and discriminations.

A directive to this effect was issued on Friday by the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T S Sivagnanam while dealing with a PIL challenging exclusion of all disabled persons, except those with orthopaedic disability, from the post of village administrative officer (VAO).

The matter relates to Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) notification to recruit VAOs. Since there was no mention about the quota for visually impaired persons, a federation for visually disabled persons challenged the legality of the employment notification. After being directed by the court to spell out its stand, the government filed a report agreeing that there should not be any blanket ban on visual or hearing impaired persons from applying for the jobs.

"In view of the question posed by this court, the report, in fact, agrees that there should not be a blanket exemption of persons with blindness and low vision or hearing impairment from reservation to the post of VAO or for that matter any post without considering the percentage of disability and level of functionality," the bench said.

The bench then felt there is a need to reconsider the notification, and added: "A person with disability has potential to enhance his skill either by using technology or training through rehabilitation process. It is stated that in respect of VAO a person with 40% visual impairment can discharge the functions after acquiring certain skills."

It then asked the government to take corrective action by issuing fresh GOs in supersession of the earlier orders, and suggested that it hand over a compilation of all the past and existing GOs in for judicial scrutiny. The matter was then adjourned to June 3 for further hearing.

Source: Times of India 

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Loss in earning capacity and not degree of disability is considered in deciding compensation: Madras HC

Madras High Court has while hearing an appeal against a poor disability compensation in a motor accident claim case recently held that while computing compensation in motor accident cases, the loss of earning capacity of the victim should outweigh the extent of disability.

Enhancing the compensation by 2 lakh to the injured driver, Justice R Mahadevan said,  “In cases of compensation, it is not the disability, which could be partial or total, alone that matters. It is the loss in earning capacity as a result of the accident that is to be considered.”
 
In the instant case R Murali, driver of a concrete mixing vehicle, met with an accident in January 2009 and suffered injuries in hip, right leg and ankle. He claimed to have suffered 100% loss in his earning capacity and sought appropriate compensation along with 12% interest.  However, as the disability certificate issued by a doctor pegged the percentage of his disability at 60%, the Deputy Commissioner of Labour awarded only Rs 3.12 lakh as compensation, by fixing his monthly income at Rs 4,000.

The driver, aggrieved by the poor compensation package, approached the high court.  Opposing enhancement of compensation, counsel for the insurance company said Murali could walk and his disability was only 60%. Even though he is incapable of driving, he can go for some other job, the insurance firm argued and sought dismissal of the appeal.

Justice Mahadevan, disagreeing with the findings of the Deputy Commissioner of Labour as well as the submissions of the insurance company’s counsel, said they had failed to discuss the applicability of “total disablement”.

The judge while distinguishing “disability” in medical parlance and “disability” vis-a-vis earning capacity, said, “Considering the injury on the hip, right leg and ankle, Murali can no longer drive a vehicle as he cannot exercise absolute control over it.”

Source: Times of India

Friday, November 29, 2013

Madras High Courts allows Transgender to write PSC Exams after PIL filed

Delighted on this news wherein the first bench of the Madras High Court upheld the right of Equality of the Transgender Community in the matters of employment under the State !


Congratulations to Swapna and yes the First Bench of the Hon'ble TN High  Court!



Here is the news from Times of India !


TN allows transgender to write PSC exam

A Subramani | TNN 


Chennai: It was a tiny relief for Swapna, but a giant leap for the entire transgender community. 

Thanks to the Madras high court, Swapna became the first person in the country to choose her own sex, and get a legal stamp for it, too. Her school and college certificates show her sex as ‘male’, but Swapna has now chosen to be socially recognised as a transgender and be officially treated as a ‘woman’. After she moved the court, state public service commission has now allowed her to write its recruitment test as a ‘woman’ candidate, which will make her eligible for posts such as deputy commercial tax officer and sub-registrar. 

She, along with four other members of the transgender community, filed a PIL in the high court with a twin prayer – one, to direct the Tamil Nadu government to reserve 3% of seats in education and employment for transgenders; two, to direct the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) to permit Swapna to sit for examination by treating her as a ‘woman’. 

On Wednesday, the TNPSC’s standing counsel handed over a hall ticket to Swapna, permitting her to write examination for Group-II posts to be held on December 1 as a ‘woman’ candidate. The venue where she received the hall ticket was no less significant – it was the first bench of the high court.

Source: Times of India 28 November 2013

Monday, September 2, 2013

Madras HC seeks report on prisoners with mental disabilities


Express News Service - MADURAI  31st August 2013 

Admitting a public interest litigation seeking treatment for mentally affected prisoners, the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has sought a report from the Superintendent of Prisons in Tamil Nadu about the conditions of the convicts and trial prisoners suffering from mental disorders.

The Principal Bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice R K Agrawal and Justice N Paul Vasantha Kumar has given two weeks time to the prison authorities to submit the report.

In his petition, N Muthukumar, deputy general secretary of Tamil Puligal, said he was arrested and confined a cell in Block No 1 in the Madurai Central Prison for participating in an agitation on June 13. During his stay in the jail, he noticed that prisoners lodged in Block 2 displayed some abnormalities. On enquiring with long-time inmates, he learnt that Block 2, was dubbed as ‘Maiyam’ (Centre) where prisoners of unsound mind were lodged.

There are 22 prisoners suffering from various psychological disorders and 13 convicts, who are insane, presently in the said block. Every day, prison authorities provide tablets to these inmates but no proper mental health treatment was given citing lack of infrastructure.

Only prisoners who were in advanced stage of mental illness were referred for treatment outside. Sometimes neurologists and psychiatrists visited them in their cells.

Petitioner’s counsel Alagumani contended that the Tamil Nadu Prison Rules, the Prisoner Act 1900 and the Mental Health Act 1987 clearly spell out how such prisoners must be treated. But this was violated grossly by the Madurai Prison authorities. In other prisons too similar conditions prevailed.

Hence he prayed for proper treatment for the mentally ill inmates.


Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Madras High Court reinstates conductor citing section 47 of Disabilities Act

Dear Colleagues,

It is little surprising that the corporations, government departments continue to disregard Section 47 of Indian Persons with Disabilities Act  1995 that provides as under:


"47. (1) No establishment shall dispense with or reduce in rank, an employee who acquires a disability during his service. 

Provided that, if an employee, after acquiring disability is not suitable for the post he was holding, could be shifted to some other post with the same pay scale and service benefits. 

Provided further that if it is not possible to adjust the employee against any post, he may be kept on a supernumerary post until a suitable post is available or he attains the age of superannuation, whichever 
is earlier. 
(2) No promotion shall be denied to a person merely on the ground of his disability: 
Provided that the appropriate Government may, having regard to the type of work carried on in any establishment, by notification and subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified in such notification, exempt any establishment from the provisions of this section. "

Despite the clear cut provisions in the Act, Ravichandran, a conductor with the Tamil Nadu State Express Transport Corporation was declared medically unfit to continue in service by a medical board in 2004 and removed from service, though with an assurance of an alternate employment which was refused later.

The Court reinstated the conductor with back wages from the date of his termination citing Section 47 ibid.

Here is the news coverage.



Conductor sacked over disability, gets back job
TNN | Jan 23, 2013, 06.24 AM IST

CHENNAI: About nine years after a government bus conductor was removed from service on the ground of an unidentified 'disability', the Madras HC has ordered his immediate reinstatement with all salary arrears and service seniority.

Justice D Hariparanthaman, ruling on a petition filed by T M Ravichandran, said: "Any employee who acquires disability during his service is given protection under Section 47 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. There is a mandate under the Act that no establishment shall dispense with a staff who acquires a disability during service."

Ravichandran, a conductor with the Tamil Nadu State Express Transport Corporation, was found 'medically unfit' to continue in service by a medical board of the Government General Hospital in Chennai on February 2, 2004. He was removed from service on August 16, 2004, with an assurance that he would be given an alternate employment based on the seniority list. On December 26, 2011, however, the corporation rejected his request for reinstatement, stating that no other suitable post was available.

Rejecting the transport authorities' stand, Justice Hariparanthaman said Section 47 contemplated that if there is no suitable post is available, the person should be kept on a supernumerary post till a vacancy arises or till his superannuation. "There cannot be any gap between the disqualification of an employee due to acquiring disability and adjustment in a suitable post," he said, setting aside the dismissal order. The judge then asked the authorities to reinstate Ravichandran in service within two weeks along with back wages from the date of his termination.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Forcefully retired while on leave, cancer patient granted pension

Dear colleagues,

We have seen in the past that several persons with disabilities have been removed from service by forcing them voluntary retirement on acquiring disabilities in contravention to Section 47 of the Persons with Disabilities Act.

The instant case is of an employee with State Bank of India (Chennai Circle) who was a cancer patient and was forcefully "voluntary retired" while she was on leave undergoing treatment for cancer some 12 year back. The irony is that she continued to fight till 2005 when her gratuity and PF were settled after prolonged representations. However, she was denied her pension and she had to approach the court.

Now after several years of protracted legal battle, the Madras High court has allowed her appeal granting her the pension. Though this is not directly related to a person with disability, however is a good case law in cases where employers take unilateral actions removing employees from service without even informing them. Here is the report.


For cancer patient, a protracted battle for pension is finally won;  Court says voluntary retirement had been forced on the petitioner.

A cancer patient who was ‘voluntarily’ retired by a nationalised bank has won a legal battle for pension with the Madras High Court declaring she is entitled to the benefit.

A Division Bench comprising Justices C. Nagappan and M. Sathyanarayanan granted a declaration on an appeal by Premila Kiruba Augustus. She had joined State Bank of India as a clerk-cum-typist at the Bangalore Main Branch and on her request was transferred to Chennai Circle in January 1981. She was posted as an electronic machine operator from May 1990. When she was on leave for personal reasons, the bank ‘voluntarily retired’ her from service on March 31, 1999. She challenged the order by raising an industrial dispute and after it failed, asked for a reference before the Labour Ministry. This was declined on grounds of a delay. She then made several requests for her pension to be settled. She had completed 25 years of pensionable service. Her gratuity and provident fund were settled in 2005. However, her request for pension was not considered.

Hence, she filed a writ petition. She was not guilty of delay because the bank failed to respond to her representations, it said. She could not pursue her pension claim as her husband underwent a bypass surgery and her father, who was living with her, also underwent a hip replacement surgery and later died. She was diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment. She sought to declare the bank’s action in not sanctioning pension after retiring her, illegal.

The bank contended that the petitioner had voluntarily abandoned her service. Therefore, in terms of a bipartite settlement, she was voluntarily retired from service. Since, she did not make a request seeking voluntary retirement, she could not claim pension.

In June last year, a single Judge disposed of the writ petition with a direction to settle the pensionary benefits. The settlement was to be made depending upon the outcome of another case before the Supreme Court. This case arose out of a Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling that the settlement in question had undergone a change. Mrs. Augustus and the bank preferred appeals against the single Judge’s order.

The petitioner’s counsel, S. Vaidyanathan, said the case pending before the Supreme Court had nothing to do with the facts of the present case. Since the bank itself had voluntarily retired the petitioner from service, it amounted to deemed voluntary retirement. As a corollary, the petitioner was entitled to pension as she had put in the required number of years of pensionable service.

Writing the common judgment for the Bench, Justice M. Sathyanarayanan said considering the facts and circumstances and the Supreme Court’s decision in Syndicate Bank vs Satya Srinath, which was applicable to the present case, it was of the view that voluntary retirement had been forced on the petitioner. The bank’s contention that she had voluntarily abandoned the service could not be sustained.

There was no necessity to await the Supreme Court’s judgment. The Bench allowed her appeal and dismissed the bank’s appeal.

Woman had completed 25 years of bank service;  She had then been ‘voluntarily’ retired;  Court says voluntary retirement had been forced on the petitioner.

Source: The Hindu

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Madrash High Court questions Commissioner Disability on unfilled backlogs and shoddy implementation of PWD Act

Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to inform you that Hon'ble Justice S. Manikumar of  Madras High Court has taken the State Government and even the Commissioner Disabilities to task for not implementing reservations in employment and not clearing the backlog in employment of Persons with Disabilities. Hon'ble Justice has further sought for details of the action taken against institutions which had failed to employ physically challenged on one pretext or the other.

One wonderful intitiative on the part of the Hon'ble Justice! And mind you, almost all dailies today are singing about what Ms. Jaylalita's Government has done for the disabled, to name a few:

(a) 20 early intervention centres for Visually Impaired childrein in age group of 0-6 years in 20 districts at 2 crores rupees cost
(b) Age limit of 45 reduced to 18 years to avail pension.
(c) Free vocational training in all 32 districts benefiting 2400 disabled
(d) Cash awad to pursue high education to Hearing impaired students
(e) Monthly maintennace allowance from Rs. 500 to 1000 to severally disabled

 You will appreciate there is nothing about employment for the disabled and filling up the backlog vacancies reserved for them under the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995. The Government seems only wanted to keep the disabled alive on some paltry sum of pensions an some vocational training. The education grants of no use if the Government is not serious in including them in the employment which is evident from the records.

I welcome this step and congratulate the residents with disabilities of Tamilnadu to have such a progressive Justice in the High Court of Madras.

Here is the media coverage from the Hindu:


Court takes on the role of messiah

MOHAMED IMRANULLAH S

Thousands of physically challenged people awaiting government jobs could heave a sigh of relief now as the Madras High Court has taken upon itself the task of making every State Government department, undertaking, university and other such organisations follow the statutory reservation of 3 per cent in letter and spirit.

Passing interim orders in a batch of writ petitions, Justice S. Manikumar has directed the Commissioner for Differently Abled to submit in court by June 9 an exhaustive list of details including the backlog vacancies that need to be filled up in every government institution ever since the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act came into force in February 1996.

The judge also wanted the Commissioner to explain why the reservations for the physically challenged had not been implemented uniformly across all government controlled institutions even after 16 years since the Central enactment was passed.

He further sought for details of the action taken against institutions which had failed to employ physically challenged on one pretext or the other.

Expressing deep concern over this attitude of the government officials, the judge said: “If some vacancies meant for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes or Most Backward Classes are left unfilled, many organisations, associations and even political parties would raise their voice, protest and agitate. But it is not so in the case of the differently abled. May be because, they do not command such a position in politics.”

He pointed out that as of March 31, 2011, a whopping number of 98,295 physically challenged people were in the ‘live register' of Employment Exchanges awaiting their chance for a government job. But unfortunately, they have been denied of their statutory right despite many court orders including the one passed by the First Bench of the High Court in a public interest litigation petition on February 17, 2011.

Mr. Justice Manikumar pointed out that the State Government had taken 10 years, since the legislation was enacted, even to begin identifying the posts meant for the physically challenged in Group A and B categories in the State Civil Services. The work began only in 2005 though it should have been kick started in 1996 itself and reviewed at periodic intervals not exceeding three years.

Thereafter, a series of meetings were held by the Union Ministry of Social Welfare and details were called from heads of various departments and boards, corporations and companies owned and controlled by the government. But many of them evaded from submitting the details.

It was also found that certain universities and educational institutions, in particular, had not followed the reservation policy.

“Right to live with dignity is a human right. Many of the disabled in India live in poverty and without employment, though educationally qualified. Delayed implementation of the statute is a deprivation of their statutory and Constitutional rights… Let us not forget that even a differently abled person would earnestly believe and expect that the words spoken and written be honoured,” the judge said.

He concluded by quoting Hellen Keller who said: “Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all — the apathy of human beings.”

Though the present batch of writ petitions related to approval of three teachers appointed in C.S.I. High School for the Deaf at Kottaram in Kanyakumari district, the judge went beyond the scope of the case in order to ensure strict implementation of the 1996 Act.

Source: The Hindu

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Motor Vehicle Act 1988 doesn't prohibit PH to convert motor vehicles as invalid carriages

Dear Colleagues,

I had written in detailed earlier in my post titled  "Disabled and Driving - Can both exist together or at the cost of each other? about this issue and host of other issues troubling the disabled persons in India.

An adapted /altered Scooters or an adapted Car with suitable modification like hand brakes and gears provides an easy mobility to a user with orthopedic disabilities.

People with orthopedic disabilities (especially those with Post Polio Residual Paralysis and those with spinal injuries) often prefer a scooter with side-wheels which is an economic mode of transport. Since almost no major company produces such scooters (called an invalid carriage!!!) in India, people with disabilities have to get the fabrication done through local mechanics and fabricators etc.

Registration of modified car/scooter as "invalid carriage" is most difficult
Registering such vehicles and driving license to drive such (invalid carriage) is an uphill task as the rules and law do not specifically provide for this and leaves room for subjectivity and corrupt practices and it leads to exploitation of a user with disabilities at the hands of middlemen and RTOs.

Such an adapted vehicle is registered as ‘Invalid Carriage’ at the whims and fancies of the RTO. To harass the disabled applicants, the RTO often ask the user to produce a sale letter (form 21) of the Invalid Carriage. Now, since no automobile manufacturer in India supply company-fitted scooter with side wheels or produces an invalid carriage, such a sale letter can not be produced. Here starts the harassment to the user and malpractices in absence of laws due to subjectivity available with the RTOs.

Even when the carriage is registered, the user is given a driving license denoting the vehicle number on the license meaning that the user can not drive any other similar vehicle in case the vehicle goes out of order. This necessitates seeking a new driving license each time with a new vehicle (even if the vehicle is similar),

As per the Rule 126 made under Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (as amended in 2002) the prototypes of all vehicles including the one for the disabled should be approved by the Pune-based Automobile Research Association of India, otherwise no modifications on any vehicle can be permitted and one has to use a vehicle in the same shape and design as supplied by the manufacturing company. This puts an undue restriction on the persons with disabilities and takes away from them their right to free mobility.

Similar is the case for adapted Cars. Previously, Maruti Udyog Ltd. used to manufacture special type vehicles for handicapped persons with suitable modifications/ attachments. As the requirement of different persons with different disability varies, the modifications/attachments also have to be different. Since the prototype of each model has to undergo the test, under Rule 126 of CMV Rules, the manufacturer has stopped production of such vehicles. Hence it is desirable to allow modifications/alterations of vehicles enabling the handicapped to drive their own vehicles.

In such situations, several of our physically disabled friends who have been using their adapted / modified vehicles for their mobility and living a very active life despite their disability have faced harrassment from the RTOs.

Madras High Court provides a Ray of Hope
However, in the instant case, one C. Paulraj, a disabled farmer who modified a Maruti 800 to suit his needs was refused the registration of the vehicle as "invalid carriage" by the Local RTO. Paulraj had converted leg operated brake, clutch etc to hand operated ones since he can't use his legs for the purpose due to polio.

Justice D Hariparanthaman of Madras High Court has ordered that Motor Vehicles Act 1988 did not prohibit any person, including physically challenged persons, to convert motor vehicles as invalid carriages, so long as the alterations do not change the basic feature of the vehicle.

The Honb'ble Justice clarified that changing the leg operated brake, clutch and accelerator into one of hand operation, would not cause a change in the basic feature of the vehicle and asked the RTO to issue permanent registration to Paulraj's vehicle within four weeks.

This is a welcome judgement from the High Court and I am sure this would give much needed relief who suffer in silence due to car makers not providing these options in their designs and they are forced to go to local fabricators to get the modifications done.

Here is the news report:

HC raps transport dept for not certifying disabled man’s car

CHENNAI: It is the state's responsibility to make available 'invalid carriages' for the benefit of the disabled, the Madras high court has said, adding that curtailing the mobility of a disabled would amount to perpetuating inequality.

While directing the authorities to issue registration certificate to C Paulraj, a disabled farmer who modified his Maruti 800 to suit his needs, Justice D Hariparanthaman said, "If the mobility of physically-challenged persons is curtailed, it would result in perpetuating inequality and the object of the Persons With Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995 would be defeated."

The matter relates to the rejection of Paulraj's request to the regional transport officer of Tirunelveli seeking registration certificate for his new car. Paulrak is paralysed below his hip. He had earlier an autorickshaw modified and duly certified. He then purchased a car, which was also modified and duly certified. The problem arose when the RTO refused to certify his new car, on the grounds that only company-manufactured vehicles, and not modified versions, could be certified.

Justice Hariparanthaman, rejecting the submission, said that the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 did not prohibit any person, including physically challenged persons, to convert motor vehicles as invalid carriages, so long as the alterations do not change the basic feature of the vehicle.

Pointing out that Paulraj had changed the leg operated brake, clutch and accelerator into one of hand operation, the judge said such changes would not cause a change in the basic feature of the vehicle. He then asked the RTO to issue permanent registration to Paulraj's vehicle within four weeks.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Madras HC | C. Paulraj Vs. The Secretary | 01 July 2011

Court: Madras High Court (Madurai Bench)

Bench: MR.JUSTICE D.HARIPARANTHAMAN

Case No(s). W.P.(MD) No. 9795 of 2008 and  W.P.(MD) No. 11415 of 2008

Title C. Paulraj vs The Secretary 

Date of Common Judgement : 01 July 2011 

 

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED: 01/07/2011
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE D.HARIPARANTHAMAN
W.P.(MD) NO.9795 of 2008
AND
W.P.(MD) NO.11415 of 2008
 

C.Paulraj                                                                   ...              Petitioner in both WPs'
   
 Vs.

W.P.(MD) NO.9795 OF 2008

1.The Secretary
   Ministry of Transport
   Chennai.
 
2.The Transport Commissioner
   Chennai - 600 005.
 
3.Regional Transport Officer
   Tirunelveli - 627 007.
 
4.Assistant Registering Authority
   Transport Department
   Valliyoor, Tirunelveli District - 627 117.             ...               Respondents

W.P.(MD) NO.11415 OF 2008

1.The Union of India
   by its Secretary
   Ministry of Transport, New Delhi.
 
2.The State of Tamil Nadu
   by its Secretary
   Department of Transport
   Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.
 
3.The Central Co-ordination Committee
   [Constituted under Persons with
    Disabilities (Equal Opportunities,
    Protection of Rights and Full
    Participation) Act, 1995]
    Office of Minister of Welfare, New Delhi.
 
4.The State Co-ordination Committee
   [Constituted under Persons with
    Disabilities (Equal Opportunities,
    Protection of Rights and Full
    Participation) Act, 1995]
    Office of Minister of Welfare
    Fort St.George, Chennai -  600 009.            ...               Respondents
 

 Prayer IN W.P.(MD) NO.9795 OF 2008

 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, to direct  the 1st and 2nd respondents to allow the 3rd and 4th respondents to treat the vehicle as an invalid carriage and to issue the permanent registration of the four wheeler bearing Chasis No.2721645 and Engine No.3967599 in favour of the petitioner.

 Prayer IN W.P.(MD) NO.11415 OF 2008

 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondents 3 and 4 to advise the respondent No.1 to appropriately enable the physically challenged person to alter the vehicles to suit the requirement of physically challenged person and register the same under the Motor Vehicles Act.

For Petitioner                 

in W.P.No.9795/  2008  ...            Mr.T.Lajapathi  Roy
in W.P.No.11415 / 2008 ...           Mr.T.Lajapathi  Roy
                                                     for Mr.Ramesh Gopinathan
 
For Respondents 1 - 4
in W.P.No.9795 / 2008
For Respondents 2 & 4
in W.P.No.11415 / 2008 ...           Mr.D.Muruganandam, Additional Govt. Pleader
 
For Respondents 1&3
in W.P.No.11415 / 2008 ...           Mr.P.Krishnasamy 
                                                     Senior Panel Counsel for Government of India
 

COMMON ORDER

The petitioner is a Farmer. He is a B.Com., graduate. While he was working on the installation of a motor pump-set in a well, he fell down and injured severely at the spinal cord resulting in paralytic condition of the lower half of his body from the hips downwards. He obtained driving licence for driving invalid carriages on 13.01.2000.

2. The petitioner purchased an auto-rickshaw with registration no.TN74-C-0630. He modified the same, so as to make it an invalid carriage that could be operated by him. That is, he fitted hand break instead of foot break, by using the services of a mechanic. The said modification was approved by the Assistant Registering Authority, Transport Department, Valliyoor, Tirunelveli District, the fourth respondent in W.P.(MD)No.9795 of 2008, on 06.12.1999 and  the same was recorded in the R.C. book. He was also exempted from payment of tax, as per G.O.Ms.No.3352, Home (Transport) Department, dated 29.12.1976, so long as the vehicle exclusively is used by him as a physically challenged person.

3. The petitioner sold the said auto-rickshaw and purchased a second hand Maruthi-800 CC Car with registration no.TN04-B-7688. He made alterations in the said Car so as to make it as an invalid carriage. That is, the clutch, break and accelerator were brought to hand operation instead of leg operation. The said modifications were also approved and recorded by the fourth respondent in W.P.(MD)No.9795 of 2008 in the R.C. book on 03.06.2002.

4. Thereafter, the petitioner purchased a new Marthi-800 CC Car on 25.06.2008, with Chassis No.2721645 and Engine No.3967599, and similar modifications were done in the new Car as was done in the earlier Car bearing registration no.TN04-B-7688, so as to make it as an invalid carriage. Thereafter, when he approached the third respondent in W.P.(MD) No.9795 of 2008 seeking permission for conversion of Motor Car into invalid carriage and to register the same under the description "invalid carriage", the third respondent issued a communication dated 16.07.2008 refusing to entertain his application on the ground that the Car that was sought to be registered as invalid carriage, is not an invalid carriage as defined under Section 2(18) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Further it was stated that the Motor Vehicles Act does not permit the conversion of a Car into an invalid carriage.

5. In these circumstances, the petitioner has filed the writ petition in W.P.(MD) No.9795 of 2008 seeking a direction to the respondents 1 and 2 to allow the third and fourth respondents to treat his vehicle viz., Maruthi-800 CC, bearing Chasis No.2721645 and Engine No.3967599 as "invalid carriage" and to issue permanent registration of the said vehicle in his favour.

6. The petitioner filed another writ petition in W.P.(MD) No.11415 of 2008 seeking a direction to the Central Co-ordination Committee and the State Co-ordination Committee, constituted under the  Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full     Participation) Act, 1995, to advise the Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Government of India to appropriately enable the physically challenged persons to alter the vehicles to suit their requirement and register the same under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

7. In both the writ petitions, the respondents have not filed counter affidavit.

8. While the relief claimed in W.P.(MD) No.9795 of 2008 is relating to the petitioner, the relief claimed in W.P.(MD) No.11415 of 2008 is to benefit all the physically challenged persons, as they are facing difficulties in registering the vehicles as invalid carriage, on making modifications, so as to drive those vehicles.

9. The grievance of the petitioner is that the manufacturers have now stopped manufacturing the vehicles specially designed for disabled persons, due to economic considerations, which forced the  disabled persons to make alterations with the help of mechanics in the workshops to convert the vehicle as invalid carriage and the physically challenged persons are facing difficulties in registering those vehicles as invalid carriage. Without registering the vehicles as invalid carriage, they could not take those vehicles to ply on the roads and the mobility of the physically challenged persons would be severely affected. Further, the Government of India remedied the situation in so far as the two wheelers are concerned, by issuing a notification in No.RT- 11012/12/01/MVL, dated 23.07.2008, under Section 52 of the Act, for conversion of two wheelers as invalid carriage. According to him, the respondents 3 and 4 in W.P.(MD) No.11415 of 2008 shall take the issue in respect of the four wheelers also, with the first respondent Government of India, for the benefit of the disabled persons.

10. Heard the submissions made on either side.

11. The petitioner approached the third respondent in W.P.(MD) No.9795 of 2008 with representation dated 14.07.2008, to register his vehicle viz., Maruthi-800CC Car, bearing Chassis No.2721645 and Engine No.3967599, as "invalid carriage", with some modifications, but without changing the basic feature. The modifications were limited to the extent of bringing hand operation of clutch, break and accelerator instead of leg operation. The said modifications were done by a local mechanic in the workshop.

12. But the third respondent Regional Transport Officer, Tirunelveli, by a letter dated 16.07.2008 refused to register the same as invalid carriage, as it is not an invalid carriage as per Section 2(18) of the Motor Vehicles Act. The contents of the said letter dated 16.07.2008 of the third respondent Regional Transport Officer, Tirunelveli, is extracted hereunder:

"I invite your attention to your representation in the reference first cited.   

As per section 2(18) of the Central Motor Vehicle Act 1988 "invalid carriage" means a motor vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, for the use of person suffering some physical defect or disability, and used solely by or for such person.

In your representation you have sought permission to convert your Motor  Car into an invalid carriage. The alteration of car into invalid carriage is not allowed as per the amended MV Act. In view of the above provision of the act the request for alteration of motor car into invalid carriage cannot be allowed."

13. According to the third respondent, the Motor Vehicles Act does not permit conversion of Car into invalid carriage and as per Section 2(18) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 "invalid carriage" means a motor vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, for the use of person suffering some physical defect or disability, and used solely by or for such person.

14. The petitioner has stated that he had no other option except to avail the service of a mechanic to make alterations in the Car to convert it into an invalid carriage, since the Maruthi company, which was manufacturing the special vehicles for disabled persons in the last decades, have now stopped the manufacture of such vehicles. It is also categorically averred by the petitioner that no company is manufacturing the specially designed vehicles for the disabled, both in two-wheeler and four wheeler sectors, for the past five years. The said fact is not disputed by the learned counsels appearing for the respondents.

15.At this juncture, it is relevant to note that Section 2(18) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 was considered by a learned Judge of this Court in W.P.(MD) No.4482 of 2008  (decided on 16.05.2008) (R.RAMASAMY VS. THE SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, CHENNAI AND OTHERS) wherein the learned Judge has held that conversion made by a private mechanic, without changing the basic feature of the motor vehicle, can be registered as invalid carriage, by the registering authorities. The word "adapted" in Section 2(18) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 was interpreted by this Court and is held that it means only "suitable" and it should not be understood that only a vehicle specially manufactured by the manufacturer could alone be registered as invalid carriage. At this juncture, it is relevant to extract paras 18.3  to 18.10 of the said judgment, which reads as under:

"18.3.As per Section 2(18) the expression "invalid carriage" means a motor vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, for the use of a person suffering some physical defect or disability, and used solely by or for such person. The expression "adapted" has not been defined in the statute. As per Concise Oxford Dictionary 10th Edition, the word "adapt" is a verb, which means "make suitable for a new use of purpose".

18.4.The expression "adapted" has been used in various definition clauses such as in Sections 2(14), 2(18), 2(22), 2(25), 2(26), 2(28), 2(29), 2(33), 2(35), 2(40) and 2(43). Meaning has to be ascribed to such expression keeping in view the context in which it has been used. Though ordinarily the word "adapted" can be considered as past tense of the verb "adapt", at times such expression "adapted" can be considered as adjectival. Understood in such a sense, the expression can mean "suitable".

18.5. In the context in which it has been used in Section 2(18) the word "adapted" means suitable. It becomes more clear when the preceding expression refers to "a motor vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted".

18.6. In several decisions, such expression "adapted" has been understood to mean "suitable" or "suited".

18.7. In  AIR 1975 SC 17 (BOLANI ORES LTD. V. STATE OF ORISSA), it was observed:-

"19. While dealing with the English cases it must not be forgotten that the definition of "motor vehicle" in the Road Traffic Act imports the element of intention into the definition for ascertaining whether a vehicle is a motor vehicle. In Maddox v. Storer8 Lord Parker, C.J. was construing the word "adapted" when used disjunctively with "constructed." He observed:

"One can get illustration after illustration, on looking at the Act itself, where 'adapted', when used disjunctively with 'constructed' must mean a physical alteration, and, as it seems to me, other cases where the word 'adapted' alone is used and where it must be given the adjectival meaning of being fit and apt for the purpose."

But where the word "adapted" alone has been used such as in sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 1 of the First Schedule to the Road Traffic Act, 1960, he was of the view that it was wholly inapt to mean "altered so as to make fit". He asked "How do you alter a motor-car so as to make it fit to carry not more than seven passengers"? It is clearly there standing on its own, susceptible only of meaning "fit and apt for the purpose."

                           ....                      

22. As usual references have been made to the Dictionaries but quite often it is not possible to hold a dictionary in one hand and the statute to be interpreted in the other for ascertaining the import and intent of the word or expression used by Legislature. The shade of meaning of a word, its different connotations and collocations which one finds in a dictionary does not relieve us of the responsibility of having to make the ultimate choice of selecting the right meaning. We choose that meaning which is most apt in the context, colour and diction in which the word is used. The use of a dictionary ad lib without an analysis of the entire Act, its purpose and its intent, for ascertaining the meaning in which the Legislature could have used the word or expression may not lead us to the right conclusion. With this caution before us for avoiding any of the aforesaid methods which might lead to a possible incongruity, we will examine the different facets to which our attention has been drawn.

23. The meaning of the word "adapted" in Section 2(18) of the Act is itself indicated in Entry 57 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, which confers a power on the State to tax vehicles whether propelled mechanically or not and uses the word "suitable" in relation to its use on the roads. The words "adapted for use" must therefore be construed as "suitable for use". At any rate, words "adapted for use" cannot be larger in their import by including vehicles which are not "suitable for use" on roads. In this sense, the words "is adapted" for use have the same connotation as "is suitable" or "is fit" for use on the roads. (emphasis added).

18.8. Similar meaning was attributed by the Supreme Court in AIR 1992 SC 1371 (M/S.CENTRAL COAL FIELDS LTD. V. STATE OF ORISSA AND OTHERS).

18.9. In (2004) 6 SCC 210 (GOVERNMENT OF A.P. AND ANOTHER V. ROAD ROLLERS OWNERS WELFARE ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS), the Supreme Court, while considering the question as to whether a road roller is a motor vehicle within the meaning of Section 2(28) of the Motor Vehicles Act, observed:

 "5.........Undoubtedly, a roadroller is meant for repairing roads. This itself shows that it is adapted for use on roads. A roadroller is not capable of being used off the road. Merely because its purpose is to repair roads does not mean that it is not suitable or not adapted for use on roads. We fail to understand from where the High Court concludes that the connotation of vehicle must mean a conveyance for carrying people or goods. The definition of motor vehicle does not so provide. Merely because a vehicle does not carry passengers or goods does not mean that it ceases to be a motor vehicle. So long as it is a vehicle, which is mechanically propelled, and is adapted for use on roads, it is a motor vehicle within the meaning of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988."

 18.10. From the aforesaid decisions, it is apparent that the expression "adapted" has been used in different provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act which carries the meaning of "suitable" or "capable of being used" on the road. It is used as an "adjectival" expression rather than a verb."

16. In the said judgment, the learned Judge went into detail on the issue and held that after the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 was amended by Act 27 of 2000, there is no prohibition for any person including physically challenged persons to convert the motor vehicles as invalid carriage, so long as the alterations made does not change the basic feature of the vehicle. The learned Judge also held that the change of system from leg operation to hand operation, in so far as the clutch, break and accelerator in Cars are concerned, the same would not cause a change in the basic feature of the vehicle. The said judgment attained finality, as no appeal was preferred against the same, and the same was also not disputed by the learned counsels appearing for the respondents. In this regard, I feel it appropriate to extract para 10 of the said judgment, as under:

"10.The provisions contained in Section 52, as they stand now, do not contemplate any specific prior permission for making any alteration, save and except what is contemplated in the present Section 52(2). Moreover, Section 52(1) as it stands now contemplates that the owner of a motor vehicle should not alter the vehicle in such a manner that the particulars of the alteration would be at variance with the particulars originally specified by the Manufacturer. Where the change in the structure of the vehicle does not have the effect of changing the basic features of the vehicle, it does not come within the prohibition contemplated in Section 52(1). The above becomes clear if reference is made to the Explanation, which lays down that for the purpose of Section 52 "alteration" means a change in the structure of a vehicle which results in a change in its basic feature."

17.In view of the categorical pronouncement of this Court in the aforesaid judgment, in my view, the prayer as sought for in the writ petition in W.P.(MD) No.9795 of 2008 has to be allowed.

18.In so far as the writ petition in W.P.(MD) No.11415 of 2008 is concerned, though the prayer is for alteration of vehicles to suit the requirement of physically challenged persons seeking statutory recognition of alteration of vehicles for registering the same as "invalid carriages", it is submitted that so far as two - wheelers are concerned, the Government of India has already issued a notification in No.RT-11012/12/01/MVL, dated 23.07.2008 under Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, taking into account the non- availability of invalid carriages in the market.

19.The petitioner has categorically pleaded that now both the three wheelers and four wheelers are not available in the market, as it is not economically viable for the manufacturers to manufacture and market them for the physically challenged persons.

20.The object of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 is to give effect to the proclamation on the full participation and equality of people with disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region. If the mobility of the physically challenged persons are curtailed, that would result in perpetuating the inequality and the object of the Act could be defeated. One of the objects of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 is to spell out the responsibility of the State towards the prevention of disabilities, protection of rights, provision of medical care, education, training, employment and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. That is, the State should make available the invalid carriages in the market. Till such time, the State should permit the physically disabled persons to convert their vehicles into invalid carriage, as otherwise, the rehabilitation of the persons with disabilities could never happen.

21.Likewise, the other objects of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 are to create barrier free environment; to remove any discrimination in the sharing of development benefits; to counteract any situation of the abuse and the exploitation; to lay down strategies for comprehensive development of programmes and services and equalisation of opportunities and to make special provision for the integration of persons with disabilities into the social main stream.

22.In my view, until the manufacturers are manufacturing the specially designed vehicles for the physically disabled persons, it is difficult to achieve the aforesaid objects of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. Atleast, the physically challenged persons shall be permitted to convert the vehicle as "invalid carriage" as that could enable them to drive those vehicles, without changing the basic feature and the same is permissible under Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act and has been approved by this Court in the judgment dated 16.05.2005 passed in W.P.(MD) No.4482 of 2008, referred to above.

23.Furthermore, the respondents 3 and 4 in W.P.(MD) No.11415 of 2008 are statutory bodies constituted under Sections 3 and 13 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. Sections 8 and 18 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 deals with the functions of the Central Co-ordination Committee and State Co-ordination Committee, which reads as follows:

"8.Functions of the Central Co-ordination Committee. -(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the function of the Central Coordination Committee shall be to serve as the national focal point on disability matters and facilitate the continuous evolution of a comprehensive policy towards solving the problems faced by persons with disabilities.

(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Central Coordination Committee may perform all or any of the following functions, namely:-

(a) review and coordinate the activities of all the Departments of Government and other Governmental and non-Governmental Organizations which are dealing with matters relating to persons with disabilities;

(b) develop a national policy to address issues faced by, persons with disabilities;

(c) advise the Central Government on the formulation of policies, programmes, legislation and projects with respect to disability;

(d) take up the cause of persons with disabilities with the concerned authorities and the international organizations with a view, to provide for schemes and projects for the disabled in the national plans and other programmes and policies evolved by the international agencies;

(e) review in consultation with the donor agencies their funding policies from the perspective of their impact on persons with disabilities;

(f) take such other steps to ensure barrier-free environment in public places, work-places, public utilities, schools and other institutions;

(g) monitor and evaluate the impact of policies and programmes designed for achieving equality and full participation of persons with disabilities;

(h) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

18.Functions of the State Co-ordination Committee. - (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the function of the State Co-ordination Committee shall be to serve as the state focal point on disability matters and facilitate the continuous evolution of a comprehensive policy towards solving the problems faced by persons with disabilities.

(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing function the State Coordination Committee may, within the State perform all or any of the following functions, namely:-

(a) review and coordinate the activities of all the Departments of Government and other Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations which are dealing with matters relating to persons with disabilities.,

(b) develop a State policy to address issues faced by persons with disabilities;

(c) advise the State Government on the formulation of policies, Programmes, legislation and projects with respect to disability;

(d) review, in consultation with the donor agencies, their funding from the perspective of their impact on persons with disabilities;

(e) take such other steps to ensure barrier-free environment in public places, work places, public utilities, schools and other institutions;

(f) monitor and evaluate the impact of policies and programmes designed for achieving equality and full participation of persons with disabilities;

(g) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the State Government.

 24.In the result,

 (i) the third respondent in W.P.(MD) No.9795 of 2008 is directed to treat the petitioner's vehicle Maruthi-800 CC Car bearing Chassis No.2721645 and Engine No.3967599 as an invalid carriage and issue permanent registration in favour of the petitioner, in the light of the judgment of this Court dated 16.05.2008 in W.P.(MD) No.4482 of 2008, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order; and

(ii) in accordance with Sections 8 and 18 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, the respondents 3 and 4 in W.P.(MD) No.11415 of 2008 are directed to consider the issue relating to conversion of vehicles into invalid carriage and advise suitably the first respondent - Government of India, to appropriately enable the physically challenged persons to alter the three wheeler and four wheeler vehicles also to suit their requirements and register the same under the Motor Vehicles Act, as expeditiously as possible.

 25.Both the writ petitions are disposed of with the aforesaid observations and directions. No costs.

 

To,

1.The Secretary Ministry of Transport Chennai.

2.The Transport Commissioner Chennai - 600 005.

3.Regional Transport Officer Tirunelveli - 627 007.

4.Assistant Registering Authority Transport Department Valliyoor, Tirunelveli District - 627 117.

5.The Secretary to Government Ministry of Transport Government of India New Delhi

6.The Secretary to Government Government of Tamil Nadu Department of Transport Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009

7.The Central Co-ordination Committee [Constituted under Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995] Office of Minister of Welfare New Delhi.

8.The State Co-ordination Committee [Constituted under Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995] Office of Minister of Welfare Fort St.George, Chennai - 600 009.