Now Reading: Delhi HC seeks film accessibility plan for disabled viewers
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Delhi HC seeks film accessibility plan for disabled viewers
The Delhi High Court has directed the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the Central Board of Film Certification, Mythri Movie Makers and other stakeholders to discuss adding accessibility features to films shown…
The Story in Brief
The Delhi High Court has directed the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the Central Board of Film Certification, Mythri Movie Makers and other stakeholders to discuss adding accessibility features to films shown in cinemas and on OTT platforms. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued the direction on August 10 in a petition by disability rights activist and lawyer Rahul Bajaj.
The stakeholders must meet within a week and seek a workable resolution within two weeks. Bajaj’s petition, filed around the release of Pushpa 2, seeks audio descriptions, same-language subtitles, captioning, Indian sign language and assistive technologies. He says the issue extends beyond one film and that current access remains limited. The case will be heard next on September 11.
The Indian Opinion
The lazy narrative would reduce this to a dispute over Pushpa 2, while another would assume that a court direction instantly makes every screening accessible. Neither is accurate. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and government film-accessibility guidelines provide the basis, but implementation needs clear standards, equipment and enforcement across cinemas and OTT services. The useful test is whether the stakeholders produce a plan that disabled viewers can use without an inaccessible application or special request.
Source: barandbench.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
