NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed eight National Law Universities (NLUs) to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 across states and Union Territories.
The direction was issued by a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta while hearing a long-pending petition filed by the Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation concerning the enforcement of disability rights laws.
According to reports, the court observed that despite repeated judicial directions over the years, several states and Union Territories had failed to adequately implement disability rights legislation.
The bench noted that most governments have now appointed nodal officers to coordinate the court-monitored initiative titled “Project Ability Empowerment.”
“The appointment of nodal officers provides an institutional framework for coordination and accountability, which was hitherto lacking,” the court observed, adding that the mechanism is expected to improve data collection, identify implementation gaps, and facilitate corrective action.
The Supreme Court further remarked that compliance levels had remained poor even under the earlier disability law enacted in 1995, making continued judicial monitoring necessary.
Originally launched in September 2025, “Project Ability Empowerment” was intended to examine conditions in government-run and private institutions housing persons with disabilities. The latest order has expanded the project into a wider nationwide review of the implementation of the RPwD Act.
The court stressed that the assessment should not become a “mere formal review” and instead must involve a “substantive evaluation” of compliance with statutory obligations, including accessibility measures, institutional support systems, and enforcement of disability rights protections.
The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on September 22, when updated status reports from the participating NLUs are expected to be submitted before the apex court.
