New Delhi: Given that the rights of prisoners to live with human dignity have not been suspended, the Supreme Court has expressed deep concern over the plight of rare persons of disabled persons and ordered that the jails be disabled with accessible toilets, ramps and a sensory-surprise environment to ensure universal access. A bench of Justices JB Pardwala and R Mahadevan said that the basic facilities required for disabled prisoners are not being provided and a group of directions have been passed to ensure that they have been provided to them. “The punishment lies only in the ban of freedom, not human treatment or refusal to proper housing. Failure to fulfill these obligations affects the victim on disabled prisoners and cheat the constitutional role of the state as a mentor – it is not for those – who is in custody,” the bench said.Justice Mahadevan, who ruled for the bench, stated that disabled persons should be provided healthcare in general community and include physiotherapy, speech therapy, psychiatric care and accessories such as wheelchairs, hearing AIDS, or crutches. “Most gel facilities are structurally inaccessible for individuals with dynamics, sensory or cognitive loss,” it said.
