Delhi HC seeks Centre's response on plea seeking mandatory Indian Sign Language interpretation in films
New Delhi, July 22
The Delhi High Court has sought the response of the Central Government on a petition seeking mandatory inclusion of Indian Sign Language interpretation as an accessibility feature in the public exhibition of feature films.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice on the plea and directed the Centre to file its counter affidavit within three weeks, while granting the petitioner three weeks thereafter to file a rejoinder.
The matter has been directed to be listed in the category of differently-abled persons on September 2.
The petition has been filed by India Signing Hands through Advocates Amritesh Mishra and Amar Jain. It seeks a direction to the Union Government to amend the "Guidelines on Accessibility Standards in the Public Exhibition of Feature Films in Cinema Theatres" dated March 15, 2024, to expressly include Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretation as a mandatory accessibility feature, in addition to closed and open captioning, for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons.
The petitioner contends that such a requirement is necessary to ensure compliance with Section 42(ii) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Apart from seeking amendment of the guidelines, the plea also prays for directions to the Union of India and other authorities to take all necessary steps to effectively implement and enforce ISL interpretation in the public exhibition of feature films across cinema theatres, OTT platforms, and other media formats in the country. The petition also seeks costs of the litigation.
Appearing for the Union of India, the learned Senior Panel Counsel accepted notice before the Court. Justice Sharma thereafter directed that the Centre file its reply within three weeks, with an advance copy to the petitioner's counsel.
The petitioner has been granted liberty to file a rejoinder within three weeks of receiving the response.
The High Court ordered that the matter be listed on September 2, under the category of matters concerning differently-abled persons for further consideration.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I fully support this move, I worry about the implementation cost for smaller theaters and independent filmmakers. Will there be subsidies or deadlines? Let's see what the government says in their response.
This makes perfect sense. Over 18 million people in India are deaf or hard of hearing. They deserve equal access to our films. OTT platforms should also be included, as the petition rightly asks for. 📽️
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, clearly mandates accessibility. Why do we even need to file a petition to enforce it? The government should be proactive, not reactive on such matters. Good luck to India Signing Hands!
I work in the film industry, and this is doable. We already have subtitling workflows. Adding ISL interpretation is a bit more work but definitely worth it for inclusion. I hope the court gives a strong direction.
Great move! My cousin is a sign language interpreter and she says there's a huge shortage of trained professionals. This petition should also push for more training programs. Let's not just mandate but also enable implementation. 🤟
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