Bombay High Court Calls For Conversion Of One Washroom In The HC Building To Make It Disabled-Friendly

The Bombay High Court has instructed its registry to propose the conversion of one of the washrooms in the High Court building in Mumbai into a facility that can be used by orthopedically disabled persons in wheelchairs.

Addressing Advocate Uday Warunjikar’s submission that the High Court building doesn’t have a single washroom accessible to the wheelchair bound persons, the court said –

“We would, therefore, request the registry to consider this difficulty, prepare an appropriate proposal for either conversion of one of the washrooms in High Court building at Mumbai into a washroom to be used for the wheel chaired, orthopedic disabled persons and place it before the appropriate committee for its due consideration as early as possible. Registrar (Original Side) is requested to do the needful”.

A division bench of Justice Sunil B Shukre and Justice Firdosh P Pooniwalla was dealing with a writ petition from 2021 seeking necessary assistive devices and facilities in government establishments in the State.

The court acknowledged the magnitude of the task, considering the number of government buildings across the state. It stressed that both the State Government and the MCGM should gather necessary information regarding the steps taken so far in collecting information on accessibility and submit a report on infrastructure and other facilities for orthopedically disabled persons in government buildings across the state.

As the issue is pending since 2021 without significant progress, the court imposed a time limit of eight weeks for this purpose.

The writ petition also seeks promotions for eligible disabled employees and the appointment of a Grievance Redressal Officer as mandated by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

On June 26, 2023, a bench of Justice GS Patel and Justice Neela Gokhale had criticized the government for not fulfilling its commitment to provide necessary supporting infrastructure and equipment to disabled individuals. It noted that despite assurances given eight years ago that the petitioners, all of whom have some orthopaedic disability, would receive the necessary supporting infrastructure, equipment or apparatus, no progress had been made.

The bench had observed that despite years of promises, disabled individuals in the State continued to face difficulties due to the lack of necessary infrastructure, equipment, and facilities. The court had stated that the concern isn’t restricted to the petitioners in the present writ petition, and the facilities must be put in place for all permanently.

Advocate Uday Warunjikar appeared for the Petitioner.

Additional Government Pleader Abhay Patki appeared for the State.

Advocates Pratibha Shelke and Shilpa Redkar appeared for the BMC.

Case no. – Writ Petition No. 3331 of 2021

Case Title – Maharashtra Rajya Apang Karmachari Sanstha v. State of Maharashtra & Ors.

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