THE National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), in a statement issued on October 23, has lodged its strong protest against the amendments made to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, making the process of issuance of disability certificates more stringent and cumbersome. These set of amendments, are regressive in nature and will only add to the already existing hurdles for genuine persons with disabilities to get certified, so essential for identification, accessing services and entitlements, NPRD said.

 They will in no way be able to address the systemic problems exposed in the wake of the Puja Khedkar case. The Khedkar case was a classic example of manipulation at various levels, responsibility for which has still not been fixed. The case is a reflection of the lack of accountability, honesty, transparency and due diligence at multiple levels, including at the highest, none of which these amendments seek to address.

 The extension of the time limit for issuance of a certificate from one month to three months is totally uncalled for. The new rule asking a person with disability to reapply if no action has been taken on his application for two long years is unacceptable. The disabled person should not be blamed and punished for the failure of the system. The NPRD also is against the amendment to make applying for certificates through the UDID portal mandatory.

 The proposed amendments are based on the wrongful understanding that persons with disabilities alone are to be blamed for manipulation of the process. The number of fake certificates being issued is a very small percentage of the total number of disability certificates being issued and similar flaws exist in almost all systems of documentation in India. Thus, the response of making the process more stringent and difficult is totally flawed. 

 It is regrettable that none of the concerns expressed by various disability rights organisations and activists were considered. The NPRD had on August 27, 2024 submitted a detailed response to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), which was endorsed by over five dozen disability rights organisations and activists.

The NPRD demands that the DEPwD withdraws these amendments that are contrary to the spirit of the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.