SC stresses need to create awareness on rights of people with disabilities

Business Standard

2 days ago

Supreme Court judge Justice Manmohan on Saturday highlighted the need to create sensitisation and awareness about the rights of persons with disabilities.
Justice Manmohan said the courts have and will deliver verdicts on issues concerning the rights of persons with disabilities, but the other organs of the State also have to rise to the occasion.
He was speaking at a conference held here on 'Judging and lawyering at the margins disability rights and beyond'. The conference was organised by Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation in collaboration with Qable.
"The need of the hour is to create sensitisation, to create awareness. And I think the more awareness is there about the Act, about the rights that are available, the more the society will understand, the more the courts will understand and it will ensure more compliance," said Justice Manmohan when asked about the issue concerning implementation of the judgements.
He also spoke on the issue regarding continuous monitoring by the court for compliance of its verdicts.
"First of all, the court dockets are absolutely full and really to say that court will pick up this issue and give it absolute priority is not feasible because every day the court is grappling with so many issues," he said.
Justice Manmohan said keeping in view the constraints, it has to be ensured that other organs of the State also rise to the occasion.
The judge said the legislature will have to be aware of the issue and will have to put in place some mechanism whereby the court orders are given effect to.
"Everything cannot be done at the pain of contempt. And if we start using the power of contempt repeatedly, it also loses its utility at some point of time," he added.
Justice Manmohan said it has to be ensured the executive machinery understands that this is an obligation on them and this is "not some charity being done".
"I think the basic problem that is arising is because everyone is believing that this is some sort of a charity which is being done. You think of any concept, whether it's gender justice, whether it is persons with disability, the mindset of the executive as well, to a large extent, the people who have been adjudicating these matters in the past have been that we will deal with it as if one is doing a bit of a charity," he said.
Justice Manmohan further said things will change once people will realise it is a rights-based approach and not charity.
"But yes, I agree with you. As a short-term measure, the court will have to monitor and will have to ensure that its judgments are implemented," he said.
Justice Manmohan also cautioned if people think the court is going to monitor a matter on a daily basis, it may be raising the hopes too high.
"We have to be realistic and we have to ensure that all organs of the State work towards it. Today, everything can't be left at the judiciary's doorstep. If you think that only judiciary is going to resolve the problem of this country, you are sadly mistaken," he said.
Justice Manmohan said until and unless all organs, including the society, works for it, there will be issue at hand.
"Just see, you need empathy in the society which is lacking," the judge said.
"So, the real issue is to sensitise the society to ensure all organs of the society work together and one should not expect that it will be solved only by the judiciary," he added.
Justice Manmohan said the judiciary may take the lead in the matter, but it will only get implemented at the ground level when everyone works together.