Karnataka HC Calls For Govt's Response On Alleged Non-Compliance With Provisions Of The Prohibition Of Employment As Manual Scavengers And Rehabilitation Act

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to respond by July 9 on steps taken by it for compliance with relevant provisions under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers And Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

A division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind passed the order after it was informed about the non-compliance with relevant mandatory provisions.

Senior advocate Jayna Kothari appearing for one of the petitioners submitted that under section 26 of the Act, two state-level meetings per year have to be conducted for review of compliances under the Act. However, since last year only one meeting has been held. Not a single meeting was held in the first six months of this year.

“Under the Law state level meetings are to be held and are normally done in the months of January and July, these are statutory meetings, headed by the Chief Minister and the Principal Secretaries of the department have to report on the compliance,” she said.

The Government advocate contended that due to Lok Sabha election the meeting could not be held but assured that it would be held and sought time to seek instructions.

Thus the court directed “AGA seeks time to take instructions on the aspect of compliance of the relevant provision, stand over to July 9.”

The directions were given while hearing a bunch of petitions including a suo-motu petition initiated by the court to deal with the issue of continued practice of manual scavenging in the State, despite a legal ban.

Case Title: ALL INDIA CENTRAL COUNCIL TRADE UNIONS AND Union of India & Others

Case No: WP 8928/2020 & Others