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11/01/24 07:02 AM IST

SC report exposes severe gaps in accessibility for people with disabilities at courts across India

In News
  • A report by the Centre for Research and Planning revealed lack of wheelchair availability, deficiencies in ramps, and infrastructure gaps for people with disabilities across court premises in India.
Major findings
  • The first-of-its-kind report, sheds light on the glaring inadequacies in the infrastructure of District Courts across India, raising serious concerns about the impediments faced by people with disabilities in accessing justice.
  • More than half of the District Court complexes in the country do not have ramps, only 25.2% have availability of wheelchairs, and just 5.1% have tactile paving to assist persons with visual impairments in navigating the court building.
  • The report said while accessible toilets for people with disabilities hold fundamental importance, only 30.4% of District Court complexes have separate disabled-friendly toilets.
  • It highlighted that only 5.1% of District Courts have tactile paving to assist persons with visual impairments in navigating the court building.
  • In a first, the Supreme Court in September last year allowed a deaf lawyer to argue virtually with the help of a sign language interpreter.
  • The Delhi High Court too last year engaged the services of a sign language interpreter to enable a petitioner who was hearing impaired, to understand the proceedings.
  • While these may be positive signs, as per the report sign language interpreters who could be engaged to assist persons with hearing impairment in accessing court proceedings are available in only 2.8% districts in India.
  • The report revealed that out of a sanctioned strength of 25,081 judges in District Judiciary, there are 20,831 courtrooms highlighting infrastructure gap of 4,250 courtrooms.
  • The report said 73.5% of the available court premises are owned by the judiciary, 13.3% are owned by the respective state government, 2.6% (626 courtrooms) are rented premises, and 10.6% are under construction.
  • From the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, 35 courts in the district judiciary of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are functioning on an ad hoc arrangement from rented accommodation or otherwise.
  • The report said when courts function in private rented buildings or in stop-gap arrangements, they not only face the challenge of non-availability of necessary amenities but also of a secure work environment due to which all the stakeholders face inconvenience.
Recommendations
  • The report said that the data signifies a “critical shortcoming” in the judicial infrastructure with respect to accessibility, necessitating concerted attention and action.
  • There is a need for regular inspection by the concerned agencies like the Public Works Department in coordination with the District Judges to explore modifications that can be made in existing court buildings to make the judicial infrastructure disabled-friendly.
Source- The Hindu

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