The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its frustration over the delays by the Central government in filing status reports regarding implementation of the 2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act [Seema Girija Lal and anr v Union of India and ors].

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was slated to hear a plea concerning the implementation of the 2016 Act when it noticed that the Centre was yet to file a status report.

During the September 30 hearing, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee sought more time to file this report.

"There is a presumption that whenever you will appear you will seek more time. We are at the point of intellectual exhaustion. When will you file the status report?" the CJI remarked.

The Court proceeded to grant time till after the Dussehra break for the Union Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to file its report.

"Despite the order dated 22 April 2024, no status report has been filed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. On the request of Mr Vikramjit Banerjee, Additional Solicitor General, a last and final opportunity is granted to the Union of India to do so," the Court recorded in its order.

The Bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition concerning poor implementation of the 2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act by States and Union Territories.

In its April 22 order, the Court observed that although over seven years have elapsed since the enactment of the law, its implementation across the country remained dismal.

It had opined that the implementation of the law had to be set right.

To this end, the Court had ordered the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to take up the issue with all States and Union Territories and file a compliance report.

The matter will be heard next on October 14.