Delhi High Court seeks response of Centre, CBFC on plea to add Indian Sign Language feature in films, OTT content

The Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Central government and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on a petition seeking directions to include Indian Sign Language (ISL) as a mandatory accessibility feature for movies exhibited at film theatres and on OTT platforms. The petitioner, India Signing Hands, an organisation dedicated to creating accessibility for the deaf community, argues that the exclusion of ISL from guidelines issued by the Centre violates the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. The Court's notice is a significant development in the ongoing efforts to promote accessibility for persons with hearing impairments in India.

The Delhi High Court has sought response from the Central government on a petition seeking directions to include Indian Sign Language (ISL) as a mandatory accessibility feature for movies exhibited at film theatres and on OTT platforms. The petitioner, India Signing Hands, an organisation dedicated to creating accessibility for the deaf community, argues that the exclusion of ISL from guidelines issued by the Centre violates the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. This development is significant in light of the ongoing efforts to promote accessibility for persons with hearing impairments in India.

The petitioner, India Signing Hands, is seeking directions to revise March 2024 guidelines issued by the Centre, namely the ‘Guidelines on Accessibility Standards in the Public Exhibition of Feature Films in Cinema Theatres for Persons with Hearing and Visual Impairments.' These guidelines do not include ISL as a mandatory accessibility feature. The petitioner argues that this exclusion violates the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, which mandatorily requires sign language interpretation for all electronic media. The organisation further calls on the Court to direct the authorities to take all necessary steps to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of ISL interpretation in the public exhibition of feature films across all cinema theatres, OTT platforms, and all other media formats in India.

The Delhi High Court's notice is a significant development in the ongoing efforts to promote accessibility for persons with hearing impairments in India. The petitioner's argument that the exclusion of ISL from guidelines issued by the Centre violates the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act has raised important questions about the implementation of accessibility standards in public exhibitions of feature films. The Court's notice is a crucial step towards ensuring that the rights of persons with disabilities are protected and promoted in India.

The Delhi High Court's notice on this petition highlights the importance of promoting accessibility for persons with hearing impairments in India. The petitioner's argument that the exclusion of ISL from guidelines issued by the Centre violates the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act has significant implications for the implementation of accessibility standards in public exhibitions of feature films.