Karnataka High Court seeks status report on implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act

The Karnataka High Court on Friday has directed the State government to file a comprehensive status report on the measures taken for the effective implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act), within six weeks [Y Karthik and ors V State of Karnataka and ors].

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakru and Justice CM Poonacha passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that flagged concerns about systemic lapses in the implementation of the RPwD Act.

Among other concerns, the petitioners highlighted that a statutory fund for persons with disabilities has not been made operational and that a mandatory 5 per cent reservation in government jobs is yet to be implemented.

The Court on November 14 sought the State's response in the matter.

The petition has been filed by a person with visual impairment and cerebral palsy, Y Karthik, along with his brother Y Kaushik, and their father Y Satish.

The petitioners have argued that the State has failed to carry out several obligations entrusted to it under the RPwD Act, ranging from reservations for persons with disabilities in employment to establishing special schools, vocational centres, and other social security measures meant to benefit such persons.

They have, therefore, urged the Court to issue a series of time-bound directions to ensure the full implementation of the RPwD Act.

The Court will hear the matter next on February 4, 2026.

Advocate Pradeep Nayak appeared for the petitioners.