The Central government has conveyed to the Delhi High Court that it lacks a comprehensive legal framework to regulate the use of service animals by persons with disabilities (PwDs). The statement came during a session where the need for detailed stakeholder consultations to establish such guidelines was emphasized.
On February 12, a bench consisting of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was briefed about the deliberations of a recent meeting held on February 4. Officials from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) highlighted the importance of gathering expertise from animal training associations and assessing the safety of trained animals in public transport.
The status report filed in court outlined that this initiative marks the first time service animals will be formally recognized as aids for PwDs in India. Rajesh Gogna, the Centre’s standing counsel, requested additional time to consult with various stakeholders, including the Ministries of Home Affairs, Road Transport, Highways, and Railways.
“The chairperson pointed out the absence of a regulatory framework for service animals for the disabled,” noted the report from the DEPwD. “Creating guidelines from the ground up will necessitate wide-ranging discussions with numerous ministries, departments, and other parties involved.”
Meanwhile, Rahul Bajaj, counsel for the petitioner NGO Dhananjay Sanjogta Foundation and himself visually impaired, criticized the status report for not specifying a timeline for the formulation of these guidelines. He also raised concerns about the lack of representation of PwDs in the committee tasked with framing these guidelines. The Centre’s counsel reassured that PwDs would be included in future discussions.
The court is also addressing related petitions concerning the threat posed by stray animals in the city. It has tasked the Delhi government, which is yet to submit its status report, with presenting measures to control the stray dog and monkey population, which includes relocating monkeys to the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.
