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INTHEHIGHCOURTOFJUDICATUREATBOMBAYAPPELLATECIVILJURISDICTION

WRITPETITIONNO.3365OF2013

ShriVinodShahajiTambe ..PetitionerVs.

TheUnionofIndia&Anr. ...Respondents

Mr.M.S.Karnik,forthepetitioner.Mr.S.M.PatilforrespondentNo.2.

CORAM:MOHITS.SHAH,C.J.&M.S.SANKLECHA,J.

DATE:12July2013P.C.

LeavetoaddtheCentralCoordinationCommitteeestablished

under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of

RightsandFullParticipation)Act,1995(hereinafterreferredtoasthe

DisabilitiesAct)andStateCoordinationCommittee establishedunder

thesameAct.

2. Learnedcounselforthepetitionersubmitsthatthepetitioner

wasdiagnosedtobesufferingwithbloodcancerin1977andwastreated

attheTataMemorialHospital,Mumbai. Thepetitionerwasdeclaredas

CancerCuredHandicap(PHPCO)aspercertificatedated16March2005.

Thelearnedcounselhasrelieduponthecirculardated21November1983

issued by the Director of Employment Exchange of the State of

Maharashtrainstructingall theDistrictEmploymentOfficerstoregister

thecancercuredpersonsashandicappedpersons. Thelearnedcounsel

submitsthatitisthusthepolicyoftheStatetorecognizethecancercured

persons as handicappedpersons. But the State Government has now

adoptedthestandthatinviewoftheenactmentoftheDisabilities Act,

theCircularstandssupersededandthatthedefinitionofdisabilitiesinthe

Disabilities Act,. 1995does not cover the petitioner's case. It is even

submittedintheaffidavitfiledbytheStateGovernmentthatdefinitionof

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disabilityenshrinedintheAmendmentBill,2012alsodoesnotcover

thedisabilitysufferedbythepetitionerand,therefore,alsothepetitioner

isnotentitledtoseekanyreliefasprayedinthepetition. Thelearned

counsel states that the copy of the Government Resolution dated 24

October1983referredtointheaforesaidCircularcouldnotbeobtained

bythepetitioner.

3. Learned counsel submits that the respondent authorities

erredinapplyingverynarrowdefinitionofthetermdisability.Learned

counselsubmitsthatdisabilityhasbeendefinedunderSection2(i)ofthe

Actasunder:

(i)disabilitymeans

(i)blindness;

(ii) lowvision;

(iii) leprosycured;

(iv) hearingimpairment;

(v) locomotordisability;

(vi) mentalretardation;

(vii) mentalillness.

ThelocomotordisabilityisdefinedinSection2(o)asunder:

(o)locomotordisabilitymeansdisabilityofthebones,jointsormusclesleadingtosubstantialrestrictionofthemovementofthelimbsoranyformofcerebralpalsy.

Learnedcounsel submits that apersonwhohassufferedbloodcancer

even after getting cured does suffer from disabilities arising from

weaknessofthebones,jointsormusclesleadingtosubstantialrestriction

ofthemovementofthelimbsand,therefore,thepetitionerissuffering

fromlocomotordisabilityasindicatedabove.

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4. Learnedcounselfurthersubmitsthattherearevariousother

forms of disabilities which would be covered by the definition of

disabilityundertheDisabilitiesAct,1995 aswellasRightofPersons

withDisabilitiesBill,2012,butbecauseofthenarrowinterpretationbeing

placedbytherespondentauthoritiesonthedefinitions,largenumberof

personsaredeprivedofthebenefitswhichwouldotherwisebeavailable

tothem.

Forinstance,thereisadiseasecalledHunter'sSyndrome.

Hunter'sSyndromeisararegeneticdisorderthatoccurswhenanenzyme

the body needs is missing or not generated enough. This leads to

progressive damageaffecting mental development andorgan function.

Therefore,thoughsuchapatientmaybetreatedaspartiallycoveredby

thedefinitionofdisability becauseofhearing impairment ormental

retardationyetwherethehearingdisabilitymaybeassessedatlessthan

40degreeandmentalretardationisalsoseparatelyassessedatlessthan

40 degree, the cumulative effect of hearing impairment and mental

retardationisnottakenintoaccountwhichwouldenablesuchaperson

toqualify tobetreatedas disabled. Thusonaccountof thenarrow

interpretationbeingplacedbytheauthorities,suchpersonsdonotfall

withinthedefinitionofpersonswithdisability.

5. Learnedcounselhasinvitedourattentiontotheprovisions

oftheRightofPersonswithDisabilitiesBill,2012particularlydefinitions

ofdisabilityinclausesx,yandzofSection2oftheBill,whichread

asunder:

(x)'personwithbenchmarkdisability'meansapersonwithnotlessthanfortypercentofaspecifieddisability,ascertifiedbyacompetentauthority;(y) 'person with disability' means a person with long termphysical,mental, intellectual orsensory impairmentwhich, ininteraction with various barriers, may hinder his full andeffectiveparticipationinsocietyonanequalbasiswithothers;(z) 'personwithdisability havinghis support needs' meansa

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personwithbenchmarkdisabilitywhoiscertifiedundersection44torequire highsupportonanongoingbasis, andmay, inparticular,includesuchpersonsconfinedtotheirhomesorlivingin institutions, or who may be concealed, neglected orsegregated,ordestituteorhomeless.

ClauseshhofSection2oftheBill,readsasunder:

hh.'specifieddisability'means

i) autismspectrumdisorder;

ii) blindness;

iii) cerebralpalsy;

iv) chronicneurologicalconditions;

v) deafblindness;

vi) hemophilia;

vii) hearingimpairment;

viii) intellectualdisability;

ix) leprosycured;

x) locomotordisability;

xi) lowvision;

xii) mentalillness;

xiii) musculardystrophy;

xiv) multiplesclerosis;

xv) specificlearningdisability;

xvi) speechandlanguagedisability,and

xvii) thalassemia;

xviii) multipledisability;

asdefinedintheSchedule.

6. Learned counsel has also invited our attention to the

provisionsof Section8and16of theDisabilities Act, 1995which lay

down the functions of Central Coordination Committee and State

Coordination Committee particularly the function of facilitating the

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continuous evolution of a comprehensive policy towards solving the

problemsfacedbypersonswithdisabilitiesanddevelopingnationaland

Statepoliciestoaddressissuesfacedbypersonswithdisabilities,further

to advise the Central Government and State Government on the

formulationof policiesaswell asprogrammes, legislationandprojects

withrespecttodisability.

7. Inviewoftheabovesubmissions,noticetothenewlyadded

parties,returnableon7August2013. LearnedA.G.P.,waivesserviceof

noticeonStateCoordinationCommittee. Mr. Sethna, learnedcounsel

waives service of notice of Union of India and also of Central

CoordinationCommittee.

CHIEFJUSTICE

M.S.SANKLECHA,J.

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INTHEHIGHCOURTOFJUDICATUREATBOMBAYCIVILAPPELLATEJURISDICTION

WRITPETITIONNO.3365OF2013

Shri.VinodS.Tambe. ...Petitioner.VS.

TheUnionofIndiaandanr. ...Respondents.

Mr.SachinGitei/byShri.M.S.KarnikforthePetitioner.Mr.A.M.SethnaandS.D.BhosaleforRespondentNo.1.

CORAM:MOHITS.SHAH,C.J.AND M.S.SANKLECHA,J.

07August2013

PC:

Time limit granted earlier for carrying out the

amendmentisextendedupto13August2013.

Standoverto27August2013.

CHIEFJUSTICE

M.S.SANKLECHA,J.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

APPELLATE CIVIL JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION NO.3365 OF 2013

Vinod Shahaji Tambe ).. Petitioner

Versus

The Union of India and another ).. Respondents

Mr. M.S. Karnik for the Petitioner.Mr.A.M. Sethna with Mr.S.D. Bhosale for Respondent No.1.Mr. Jaydeep Deo, AGP, for Respondent No.2.

CORAM : MOHIT S. SHAH, C.J. & M.S. SANKLECHA, J.

DATE : 29 AUGUST 2013

P.C.

While adjourning the further hearing of this petition, in order

to enable the learned Counsel for the petitioner to make a representation to

the Union of India in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,

Department of Disability Affairs, we also expect the Central Co-ordination

Committee appointed under The Persons with Disabilities (Equal

Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 to

look into the petitioner's representation and to make such recommendations

as it may consider appropriate. It may be pointed out that besides the

petitioner's case like cancer cured patients, various other disabilities such

as children suffering from Hunter's Syndrome should also be considered by

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the Central Co-ordination Committee whether they should be treated as

disability within the meaning of the term "specified disability" in clause

(hh) of Section 2 in the definition as provided in the Right of Persons with

Disabilities Bill, 2012 which is under consideration. For this purpose,

copy of our order dated 12 July 2013 shall also be forwarded to the Central

Co-ordination Committee along with the representation to be made by the

petitioner through his learned Advocate.

2. Stand over to 1 October 2013.

CHIEF JUSTICE

M.S. SANKLECHA, J.

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