Prefer the disabled for kiosks on court premises, says HC : Mumbai

 

Physically challenged woman Radiya Jainuddin Champa, who runs a telephone booth at Mazgaon metropolitan court premises since 1999, had filed a petition requesting to start a photo copy centre in the booth premises due to lack of customers. Division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Anoop Mohta ruled in favour of Champa. However, after this case, the Bombay high court (HC) has ordered that preference be given to physically challenged persons while allotting stalls within the 450 court premises in Maharashtra and Goa.

As per the order of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, only Mazgaon, Bhoiwada and Girgaum courts in the city have physically challenged persons running stalls. Champa’s contention was that “now that landline telephones are not being used and the STD-PCO is out of business, she should be allowed to install a photo copy machine in the said booth. Also, she should be allowed to sell stationery and carry out other ancillary jobs like typing”.

Her plea was rejected in the lower court. She then approached the HC.

Champa said, “The court found it fit to give permission to carry out other businesses as mobile phones are used by everyone and the use of landline phones has reduced. I am happy that many other physically challenged persons will now benefit after this ruling.”

Champa, 45, is blind since birth and her monthly income from the telephone booth business is around Rs1,000. She stays with her brother and his family in Mazgaon.




Source : DNA , 12th April 2013