SC asks HC to consider interim relief to IIT Bombay student with vision disability

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the high court to consider the point of interim relief on a plea of a IIT Bombay student with vision disability over the issue of accommodation. A bench of Justices B R Gavai, Augustine George Masih and K Vinod Chandran passed the order while hearing the plea of the student pursuing MSc in Biotechnology at IIT Bombay.

"This is an SLP (special leave petition) which we have filed on behalf of a student at IIT Bombay who is facing grave difficulty in getting reasonable accommodation to which he is entitled under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016," the student's counsel said.

Next hearing on January 27

The bench observed the matter was pending before a Bombay High Court division bench. "We will request the high court to decide it expeditiously," said the bench. On the top court's query, the counsel said the matter was scheduled to be heard on January 27. He said the petitioner approached the high court in March last year and the matter was pending.

The counsel informed the bench about a circular from two separate high courts according to which matters of persons with disabilities were given priority. "We, therefore, request the division bench of the high court, which is seized of the matter, to take up the question of at least grant of interim relief on the scheduled date, that is, January 27, 2025," the bench said and disposed of the petition.