NEW DELHI: The law department of the Delhi government has notified the setting up of special courts in each district to try offences under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
The government’s move follows numerous requests from the State Commissioner, Disabilities, T D Dhariyal.
“In pursuance of the provisions of Section 84 of RPWD Act 2016, the court of Additional Sessions Judge-02 in each district in the jurisdiction of Delhi is designated as special court to try the offences under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016” said the government order.
Less than a month ago, Dhariyal had issued an order threatening to approach the Delhi High Court seeking implementation of Sections 84 and 85 of the RPWD Act without delay.
In his letter, Dhariyal said that for every special court the government must specify a public prosecutor or appoint an advocate who has been in practice for not less than seven years as a special public prosecutor for the purpose of conducting cases in that court.
The commissioner had ordered the Delhi government to set up the courts in all 11 districts, as mandated under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
The matter had been pending with the Delhi government for more than two years.
In April 2017, the Supreme Court had directed states and Union Territories to set up special courts to ensure speedy justice in cases of offences committed against people with disabilities.
In February 2018, the social welfare department told the state commissioner for persons with disabilities that the matter had been taken up by the department of law, justice and legal affairs and they had approached the Delhi High Court.
“This is good news. People who face issues daily due to certain disabilities, and who were fed up of normal court proceedings... now many issues will be solved at a much better pace” said Dhariyal.