SC Report Reveals Accessibility Gaps for People with Disabilities in Indian Courts

Source-This post is based on the article “SC report exposes severe gaps in accessibility for people with disabilities at courts across India” published in “The Hindu” on 10th January 2024.

Why in the News?

Recently, the Supreme Court’s Centre for Research and Planning report highlights infrastructure deficiencies in Indian district courts. It raised concerns about obstacles faced by individuals with disabilities in seeking justice.

What are the findings of the report?

1) It highlighted that only 30.4% of court complexes have separate disabled-friendly toilets.

2) It reported that over half of the district court complexes nationwide lack ramps, while only 25.2% are equipped with wheelchairs.

3) It also highlighted that only 5.1% of district courts incorporate tactile paving to aid individuals with visual disabilities in navigating the court premises.

4) The report disclosed an infrastructure gap of 4,250 courtrooms across India. Only 20,831 courtrooms have been operational out of a sanctioned strength of 25,081 judges in the district judiciary.

Note- The report indicated that 73.5% of court premises are owned by the judiciary, 13.3% by the state government, 2.6% (626 courtrooms) are rented, and 10.6% are under construction.

What is the Centre for Research and Planning of the Supreme Court?

It is the Supreme Court’s in-house think tank,

Aim: Strengthening the knowledge infrastructure of the Supreme Court.

Mandate- To conduct cutting-edge research on fundamental jurisprudence, principles, doctrines of law, and judicial reforms, aiming to enhance justice delivery and uphold Judicial Independence.

UPSC Syllabus – Reports & Indices