Disability quota & allocation: Kerala HC seeks govt reply on order for 912 new Akshaya centres

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday asked the state government to explain its decision to sanction 912 new Akshaya centres across the state, after a person with disability challenged the order, alleging a lack of transparency and violation of disability rights.

The directive came while considering a writ petition filed by Moideen (37), a resident of Pookkottur panchayat in Malappuram district. He has a 60 per cent locomotor disability. The petition questions both the manner in which the centres were allotted to local bodies and the absence of reservation for persons with disabilities in the selection of entrepreneurs, said his counsel, Advocate Mohammed Shah.

The petition highlights significant inconsistencies in the allocation of new centres. For example, Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation received 23 centres, far more than Kollam Municipal Corporation, which received only one. Overall, Thiruvananthapuram will now have 61 Akshaya centres, compared to 25 in Kochi and 12 in Kollam. The petition contends that such differences lack any explained justification and do not align with apparent needs or objective criteria.

Similar imbalances, the petitioner contends, are visible in the distribution among municipalities and grama panchayats as well. The Akshaya project is a flagship e-governance initiative of the Government of Kerala, implemented through the Department of Electronics and Information Technology and the Kerala State IT Mission, to provide services online to citizens while creating self-employment opportunities through locally run Akshaya centres.

On June 28, 2025, the government issued an order sanctioning and allocating 912 new Akshaya centres across Kerala. But the order was issued without any disclosed criteria, demographic study, service-demand assessment or rational methodology, the petitioner said, and added that the allocation shows stark disparities between different local bodies.

Second, the petition challenges the February 21, 2026, notification inviting applications for 1,037 Akshaya centres, which include vacant and new centres. The petition pointed out that though it has reservations for applicants from the Scheduled Tribe and the Scheduled Caste communities, there was no reservation for persons with disabilities, allegedly violating the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Moideen argues that since the Akshaya network is a state-created and state-controlled livelihood opportunity, the government is legally bound to ensure inclusion and affirmative measures for persons with disabilities.
After seeking the government’s explanation, the High Court posted the matter for a detailed hearing on March 23.

The last date to apply for the new Akshaya centres is March 7. Applications must be submitted online through https://lbsedp.lbscentre.in/akshaya26/. The fee payment for the application can be made until March 9.