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Delhi High Court forms High Power Committee to ensure access to financial services for visually challenged

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Synopsis

The High Court was hearing an application that sought directions for the appointment of a committee to ensure access to financial services for visually challenged persons.

The Delhi High Court on Friday formed a High Power Committee of seven members to offer practical solutions ensuring access to financial services to all visually challenged persons and other ancillary issues.

The court was hearing an application that sought directions for the appointment of a committee to ensure access to financial services for visually challenged persons.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was pained to note that it is unfortunate that judicial intervention is required in such matters when proactive measures to ensure ease of accessibility for the specially-abled should be implemented.

Court opined that the solution that must be found in this case undoubtedly necessitates the involvement of experts in the field of information technology, and sought the suggestion of the IIT Delhi to provide the names of two senior professors to serve on the Committee.

IIT Delhi forwarded, the names of Prof. M. Balakrishnan and Prof. Kolin Paul, Professors, Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The court accordingly formed the seven-member High Power Committee consisting of the following persons:

  1. Prof. M. Balakrishnan, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Delhi.
  2. Prof. Kolin Paul, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Delhi.
  3. Ms. Manisha Mishra, (GM), Department of Regulation.
  4. Mr. Tushar Bhattacharya, (DGM) Department of Supervision.
  5. Mr. George Abraham, the Petitioner in W.P.(C) 694/2020.
  6. Mr. Amar Jain, Member of Blind Graduates Forum of India i.e. the Petitioner in W.P.(C) 64/2019.
  7. Officer to be nominated by the Union of India.

Court also stated that Prof. M. Balakrishnan shall be the Chairman of the Committee, and hoped that the Committee will take all observations into account when developing a feasible solution.

Court further directed the Director of IIT Delhi to provide all logistical support to the Committee.

Furthermore, Court ordered the Committee, chaired by Prof. M Balakrishnan to submit the Status report in three months, and listed the matter for November 25, 2022.

Case Title: George Abraham v. Union of India & Ors (batch of petitions)

Download and read judgement here

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