HC Gives Govt 2 Days on Info About Blind Persons

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SRINAGAR The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday asked state government to provide details within two days regarding measures taken for empowering visually impaired persons including those blinded by the shotgun fire in the State.

During the hearing of a Public interest litigation before a division bench of the high court, additional advocate general B. A. Dar was directed to place before the Court within two days the facilities which are available within the State to ensure inclusiveness to and measures for empowering visually impaired persons in the State.

Visualised impaired persons in the State include who have been blinded and have suffered injuries by use of pellet guns but also others who have suffered visual impairment for any reason.

The directions comes day after the Supreme Court asked the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to decide within six weeks on a plea seeking a ban on the use of pump action guns to control protestors.

A bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, took note of a letter dated July 4, by the Registrar General of the High Court before issuing the directive. We request the Division Bench of the High Court to expeditiously decide the matter and pass order preferably within six weeks, the Supreme Court bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association had filed a petition before the High Court in 2016 seeking a ban on the use of pump action guns. On September 22 last year, the High Court rejected the plea in an interim order. The court had said that the Centre has already constituted an expert committee for exploring alternatives to these weapons.

Eight months ago, on January 18, the Supreme Court had said that it would wait for the outcome of the petition pending before the High Court. After the High Court turned down the petition, the Bar Association approached the Supreme Court. It contended that the High Court should have waited or called for the report of the expert panel before passing its judgement.

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