Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 23: The State High Court today directed the Government to inform it within two days the facilities available in the State for visually impaired persons, who have been blinded by pellets guns.
Hearing PIL against the use of pellet on protesters, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rashid Ali Dar directed the Government to place before the Court within two days the measures and facilities taken for empowering the visually impaired persons due to use of pellets during protests.
The PIL was filed in the wake of 2016 unrest seeking direction to ban the use of pellet gun to control the mob and protesters. The High Court had rejected ban on use of pellet guns while controlling the crowd or protests in the State and said that no findings of use of excessive force have been recorded by any fact finding authority.
“…no findings of use of excessive force, violating the guidelines issued in the SOP, have been recorded by any fact finding authority” alleging use of excessive force, due to which death or injury has occurred, can very well approach the appropriate forum to establish the same and seek redressal”, High court had recorded.
Against the verdict, the Kashmir Bar Association approached the Supreme Court which had directed the High Court to consider the other reliefs except to the relief sought for ban on use of pellet guns.
The Supreme Court yesterday asked the High Court to decide the plea seeking ban on use of pellet guns for controlling street protests in the State within six weeks.
Today the Division Bench before considering the issue directed the Government to place before the Court within two days the facilities which are available within the State to ensure inclusiveness and measures for empowering visually impaired persons in the State.
Court also directed for placing the measures and facilities for those impaired persons in the State who have been blinded and have suffered injuries by use of pellet guns but also others who have suffered visual impairment for any reason.
For effecting the direction, the court made Secretary department of Health and Medical Education as party in the PIL as well as the Secretary Social Welfare Department to implement the directions.
Bar Association besides ban on use of pellet has also sought direction upon the respondents to compensate all those persons whose names are mentioned in the petition as well as those particulars will come to the notice of court during the hearing of the PIL.
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