Supreme Court Issues Notice to Union of India in 'Action for Autism' Writ Petition, Seeks Response by August 2025

Supreme Court Seeks Centre's Response on Plea by 'Action for Autism'

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has taken cognizance of a writ petition filed by 'Action for Autism', an advocacy organization, and has issued a notice to the Union of India and four other respondents. The Court has directed the central government to respond to the plea, which seeks both interim and final reliefs, by August 29, 2025.

Case Background

The matter, titled Action for Autism vs Union of India , was brought before a Division Bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice K.V. Viswanathan . The case, registered as Writ Petition (Civil) No. 729/2025, represents a significant step in the legal advocacy efforts of the petitioner.

While the specific details of the reliefs sought in the petition were not detailed in the Court's initial order, writ petitions of this nature typically involve matters of public interest, seeking the enforcement of fundamental rights against the state. The petitioner, 'Action for Autism', is a notable organization dedicated to the rights and welfare of individuals with autism.

Court's Order and Next Steps

In its procedural order, the Supreme Court stated:

"Issue notice to respondent nos. 1 to 5 only for the present on the prayer for interim relief as well as on the main relief(s) sought for by the petitioner herein in this Writ Petition, returnable on 29.08.2025."

This issuance of notice signifies that the Court has found the petition worthy of consideration and requires a formal response from the government. The bench has directed the notice to be served to the first five respondents, with the Union of India being the primary party.

The petitioner's counsel has been granted permission to serve the notice to the Union of India through the Central Agency, a standard procedure for communicating with the central government in legal matters.

Implications of the Notice

The issuance of a notice is the first crucial step in the adjudication of a writ petition. It formally brings the government to the court to answer the allegations and legal questions raised by the petitioner. The case will now proceed with the respondents filing their counter-affidavits, after which the Court will hear arguments from both sides to decide on the reliefs prayed for. The matter is scheduled to be heard next on August 29, 2025.