Legal Analysis: Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation vs. Union of India & Ors

Citation: 2026 INSC 441
Court: Supreme Court of India
Bench: Not specified (presumably Division Bench)
Date of Decision: April 28, 2026
Nature of Judgment: Order in pending writ petition and civil appeals concerning implementation of disability rights and appointment of Nodal Officers.

Synopsis of the Judgment

The Supreme Court was monitoring compliance with its earlier directions regarding: (i) appointment of Nodal Officers by States/UTs to coordinate with National Law Universities (NLUs) under “Project Ability Empowerment”; (ii) clarification on upward movement of meritorious Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates against unreserved vacancies; and (iii) implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Most States/UTs had appointed Nodal Officers; only Lakshadweep and Ladakh remained non‑compliant, given a final deadline. The Union of India filed an affidavit clarifying that PwBD candidates selected on merit (without relaxed standards) shall be adjusted against unreserved vacancies, while those availing relaxation go against reserved quotas. The Court endorsed this policy. On the implementation of the 2016 Act, the Court directed NLUs (including NLU Delhi for the Union) to conduct a structured assessment of compliance across all States/UTs, with cooperation from Nodal Officers, and listed the matter for September 2026.

1. Basic Information of the Judgment

Field Details Case Title Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation vs. Union of India & Ors. (with connected matters) Writ Petition (Civil) No.116 of 1998 Connected Appeals Civil Appeal No. 11938/2016, Diary Nos. 29329/2021, 26974/2024 Bench Not specified (order per curiam) Date of Decision April 28, 2026 Citation2026 INSC 441 Nature of Order Compliance monitoring and directions for implementation of disability rights

2. Legal Framework

Laws/Provisions:

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