The Delhi High Court has asked the Union government to present its stand on a petition seeking mandatory accessibility features in television programming for persons with disabilities. The plea, moved by disability-rights lawyer Rahul Bajaj, argues that millions of viewers who are blind, low-vision, deaf, or hard of hearing are effectively excluded from television content because broadcasters are not required to provide tools like audio description, closed captions, or sign-language interpretation.
Hearing the matter, Justice Sachin Datta issued notice to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as well as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, directing them to file detailed replies. The petitioner pointed to obligations under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which requires the government to make information and communication services accessible. He also noted that although the government had released accessibility standards for television content, the guidelines were never formally notified, leaving compliance optional.
The petition stresses that the lack of accessible formats denies persons with disabilities equal participation in cultural life and prevents them from accessing essential news and entertainment. The court has also asked the government to specifically clarify the status of audio-description norms, which remain inadequately addressed in existing standards.
The case will be taken up again on January 29, 2026, by which time the Centre is expected to file its response.
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