New Delhi: Hon’ble Apex Court on this Thursday, issued notices to the Central as well as State Governments asking to intimate it about their responses on steps taken for rehabilitation of Mentally Challenged people. The notices were issued by the Bench, headed by Justice, Dipak Misra, having regard to the condition of mentally challenged people who remained pathetic in after there is law for their welfare enacted two decades before.
The Bench of the Apex Court observed that, the status of such Mentally Challenged people not to be ignored in the society and there should be made strong efforts for bringing them into the national mainstream. It was observed as obligation upon the Bench to consider the need to have comprehensive study of the situation in which such Mentally challenged people are treated with dignity and respect and also as far as practicable feel a part of the mainstream of life. Though the same could not be possible in every case, but to identify the possibility an attempt has to made, as per Bench.
The Bench, further found that, there are several inadequacies in catering satisfying the needs of Mentally challenged people in the Government-running Homes for such people. The same was observed by examining the Report prepared on Asha Kiran.
The case was brought before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, from the challenge of order passed by the Delhi High Court in respect of Home for Mentally Challenged people, namely, Asha Kiran. The Bench specifically extended its considered observation to the pathetic situation of Mentally Challenged people in other States, which was highlighted before it, saying that such ‘situation cannot be ignore or marginalized’. As such the Hon’ble Apex judicial authority (SC) has issued notices to the Centre and States asking them to submit their response on the Steps taken by them under their obligation in providing special care, facilities and rehabilitation of Mentally Challenged persons in their respective jurisdictions, under the provisions of The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.
by Faim Khalilkhan Pathan.