India, Nov. 16 -- The Delhi High Court has directed the Indian Railways to take a time-bound policy decision on whether autism should be included as a disability category eligible for railway travel concessions.

The direction came while the court disposed of a petition filed by Master Naksh, represented through his father, challenging the exclusion of autism from the existing Railway Concession Rules.

Appearing for the petitioner, advocates Ashok Agarwal, Kumar Utkarsh, Manoj Kumar and Ashna Khan argued that the non-inclusion of autism was arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of fundamental rights.

They sought a declaration striking down the impugned rules to the extent they exclude autism and requested directions for reframing the ...