Summary of the Recommendations/ Suggestions in the Committee on

Accessibility, Supreme Court of India Report of October 2023

Physical Accessibility

1. Signage & Route Map:

• Install accessible route maps at entry points and within the premises.
• Ensure appropriate signage installation across the premises.
• Provide Braille signs or markers for accessible entrances and exits.
• Use large fonts and tactile markings on boards and room numbers.
2. Pathways:

• Level pathways with tactile blocks for guidance.

• Ensure smoother surfaces and sufficient clearance.
• Install separate pathways for individuals with disabilities.
3. Common Area Facilities (Washrooms):

• Ensure uniformity in accessible washrooms.

• Allocate separate toilets for transgender persons.
• Provide attendants in washrooms to assist persons with disabilities.
• Install sanitary pad dispensers and appropriate disposal bins.
4. Common Area Facilities (Drinking Water Units):

• Equip all water units with accessible taps.

• Install accessible drinking water units on every floor.
• Permit visitors to carry water bottles if access to drinking water is distant.
5. Staircases:

• Extend railings along staircases beyond the start and end of steps.
• Install tactile markings to demarcate the start and end of stairs.
6. Court Rooms:

• Assess and construct ramps at suitable points using hydraulic/portable

ramps.
• Allocate dedicated spots in courtrooms for wheelchair parking.
7. Parking Spots:

• Designate special parking spots for individuals with disabilities.

• Ensure these spots are not occupied by others to maintain accessibility.
8. Accessibility Concerns in Courtroom Doorways:

• Replace heavy curtains with tinted glass or film to improve access.

 9. Mentioning Branch:

• Relocate to a more spacious area or establish a structured waiting zone.

• Consider implementing a token system to organize flow and reduce
crowding.

These recommendations aim to enhance accessibility, safety, and inclusivity within the
court premises, ensuring equal access for all individuals, including those with disabilities.

Fire and Safety Precautions:

• Install visual and/or vibrating alarms throughout the premises.

• Ensure fire alarms are accessible to persons with hearing impairments.
• Mandatory presence of visual or vibrating alarms alongside traditional alarms.

Improving Accessibility with Travelators:

• Install travelators between buildings within the premises.

• Enhance accessibility for persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
• Simplify access to various areas and reduce the need for extended walks.

Vehicles for Persons with Reduced Mobility:

• Consider procuring battery-operated vehicles for mobility-impaired individuals.

• Customized vehicles should be compact and driven by an attendant.
• Assess the number of vehicles required to address various entry points.
• Ensure easy access, low maintenance, and customization capability for different
users.

These additional recommendations aim to further enhance accessibility, safety, and

convenience within the court premises, catering to the diverse needs of all individuals,
including those with disabilities or reduced mobility.

Suggestions on the challenges faced by Women, Women Workforce/Lawyers:

• Ensure access to basic amenities like drinking water, toilets, and sanitary pad
dispensers for women lawyers and staff members.
• Improve accessibility considering the representation of women in the workforce.
• Address varying distances to washrooms and drinking water facilities across
courtrooms to accommodate women's needs effectively.
• Provide equitable distribution of facilities to ensure accessibility for all genders.
Physical Accessibility Issues, Proximity to Washrooms:

• Address varying distances to washrooms for women, persons with disabilities, and
Universal Rest Rooms (URR).
• Ensure wheelchair accessibility and necessary amenities in washrooms.
• Improve ventilation, provide covered dustbins, sanitary pad dispensers, towels, and
toilet paper.
• Relocate incinerator-used sanitary napkin disposal units to more secluded areas for
privacy.

Proximity to Drinking Water Facility:

• Address varying distances to drinking water taps and fountains across courtrooms.
• Ensure friendly tap heights, adequate facilities like hooks, and automatic water taps
for easier access.

Ladies Bar Room:

• Improve accessibility by addressing slopes and uneven flooring.

• Ensure wheelchair accessibility to washrooms.

Elevator Proximity:

• Strategize elevator positioning for better accessibility, especially for pregnant

women, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens.

Creche Facility:

• Enhance awareness of creche availability among stakeholders.

• Implement guided navigation to the creche for easy access.

Lactation Rooms:

• Establish adequately equipped lactation rooms with privacy, comfort, and essential
amenities.
• Incorporate lactation rooms alongside special waiting areas for women.

Changing Rooms:

• Establish dedicated changing rooms exclusively for women.

Views from Employees, Accessibility of Supreme Court Premises:

• Reserve entry passages for individuals with disabilities.

• Cover drainage gullies for navigation.
• Improve ramp steepness and provide personal assistance or battery-operated
vehicles.
 • Ensure accessibility features like tactile paving, GPS marking, handrails, and
dedicated parking spaces.

Suggestions for Washrooms:

• Include emergency provisions like panic buttons for safety.

• Ensure wheelchair-friendly fixtures and enhanced facilities for individuals with
disabilities.

Drinking Water Facilities:

• Address distant locations, unfriendly tap heights, lack of facilities like hooks, and
provide automatic taps for easier operation.

Assistance from Colleagues:

• Empower persons with disabilities to be self-reliant while appreciating colleagues'

assistance.

Facilities/Tools to Navigate the Supreme Court Premises:

• Provide battery-operated vehicles, guides or escorts, special queues, and extend

public transport access to low-security zones for persons with disabilities.

Suggestions as received via the filled up questionnaire (summerised)

Infrastructure:

• Implement ramps, escalators, and stairs with hand railings and tactile warning
strips.
• Provide separate pathways for persons with disabilities.
• Ensure smooth, accessible pathways and vehicles from main gates to courtrooms.
• Increase clearance in navigating spaces and arrange seats for persons with
disabilities.

Communication and Signage:

• Include sign language and braille signs/markers.

• Use large font boards, tactile elements, and speaking systems for effective
navigation.

Facilities:

• Make washrooms, cafeterias, and drinking water facilities accessible to persons

with disabilities.
• Ensure clear, accessible signage, including braille and tactile pathways.
Parking:

• Reserve parking spots for persons with disabilities and ensure their proper use.

Washrooms:

• Provide accessible toilets, handrails, and staff support.

• Use speaking systems and signage in braille and tactile pathways.

Website:

• Address accessibility issues with Captchas and calendar options.

• Ensure listings, hyperlinks, and document submissions are user-friendly for visually
challenged individuals.
• Scan documents with OCR for better readability.

Sensitization and Special Counters:

• Conduct sensitization programs for court staff, lawyers, and judges.

• Establish special counters for persons with disabilities until all accessibility concerns
are fully addressed.

Other Facilities:

• Court staff should assist in navigating premises, and clear sign boards indicating
courtroom locations are essential.
• Provide written display systems, live transcripts, and sign language interpreters for
persons with hearing impairments.

Functional Accessibility

Framework at Filing Counters:

• Fresh Filing Counter:
• Introduce exclusive service points for senior citizens and persons with
disabilities.
• Provide designated spaces for persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
• Implement seating arrangements for pregnant women and elderly visitors.
• Miscellaneous Filing Counter:
• Establish a separate window or service point for persons with disabilities.
• Allocate dedicated seating near each counter for special groups.
• Ensure clear signage to identify reserved seats.
 • Training:
• Introduce training programs for staff to effectively assist persons with
disabilities, pregnant women, and senior citizens.
• Sign Interpreter:
• Employ sign interpreters for individuals who are hard of hearing or speech-
impaired to enhance accessibility.

Updates of Processing of Fresh Matters:

• SMS Notifications:
• Expand the SMS notification system to provide updates at every stage of
case processing.
• Online Portal:
• Provide real-time case status checks through a dedicated online portal.
• Email Notifications:
• Offer the option of receiving stage-by-stage updates via email.
• Special Consideration Desks:
• Establish dedicated help desks or counters for individuals with disabilities,
women lawyers/litigants, and senior citizens.
• Personalized Assistance:
• Offer a service for updates through a dedicated helpline or assistance desk.

Refiling Counter:

• Dedicated Counters:
• Introduce exclusive counters for individuals with disabilities and senior
citizens to expedite processing.
• Assistance Services:
• Deploy trained personnel to assist individuals in handling and refiling
documents promptly.
• Clear Communication:
• Ensure clear communication of defects to reduce the need for multiple visits.
• Seating Arrangements:
• Provide designated spots for persons with disabilities, women, and senior
citizens to ensure their comfort and priority.
• Feedback Mechanisms:
• Establish a feedback system to gather insights for further improvement in
the refiling process.
Courtroom Accessibility:

• Implement designated seating areas for individuals with disabilities, pregnant

women, and senior citizens to ensure their comfort and safety.
• Provide clear pathways and unobstructed access for individuals with mobility
challenges.
• Introduce instant audio description services to assist visually impaired individuals in
understanding printed documents referred to during arguments.
• Ensure that all court documents are available in electronic format compatible with
screen readers, with a mechanism to request accessibility accommodations.
• Engage sign language interpreters to translate spoken content into sign language
in real-time during proceedings.
• Distribute assistive listening devices to amplify sound and reduce background noise
for individuals with hearing impairments.

Digital and IT framework:

• Enhance the Supreme Court website and mobile app to include alternative text,
sign language interpretations, voice-over features, and easy-to-read content for
accessibility.
• Ensure compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers and voice
command software across all IT services.
• Provide comprehensive training for staff to understand and address the needs of
individuals with disabilities.
• Implement feedback mechanisms to continuously improve the accessibility of
digital services.
• Prioritize clear contrasts, large fonts, and alternative navigation methods in design
to aid users with disabilities.
• Regularly update hardware and software to incorporate accessibility features such
as specialized keyboards and recognition software.

Display Boards:

• Introduce audio descriptive kiosks or smartphone applications to provide real-time

audio descriptions and notifications of updates from display boards.
• Ensure that display boards are accessible to visually impaired individuals through
braille or audio output options.
• Extend accessibility features to all areas, including women's bar rooms, to ensure
inclusivity.
Front Office of Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee:

• Appoint sign language interpreters to facilitate communication for hearing-impaired

visitors.
• Provide tailored provisions and assistance for visually impaired visitors, including
braille and audio descriptive tools.
• Conduct regular staff training sessions to educate employees on assisting
individuals with disabilities.
• Implement priority slot allocations for pregnant women and senior citizens to
minimize waiting times.

Mediation Centre:

• Establish structured notification systems and assistance protocols for visually

impaired individuals.
• Ensure the availability of sign language interpreters and written communication
tools for individuals with hearing and speech impairments.
• Provide accessible infrastructure and flexible scheduling options for mediators and
visitors with disabilities.
• Offer comprehensive training for staff and mediators on accommodating individuals
with diverse needs.

Hardware Adjustments for Accessibility:

• Provide specialized keyboards, braille keyboards, recognition software, and screen

readers for visually impaired employees.
• Equip telephones with large buttons, voice-activated dialing, and audible caller ID
features for accessibility.
• Conduct regular training sessions to familiarize visually impaired employees with
available hardware adjustments and provide ongoing support.

Mentioning Branch:

• Introduce separate windows for senior citizens and pregnant women at reception
counters to expedite processes.
• Enhance seating arrangements and signage to improve comfort and accessibility
for visitors with disabilities.
• Employ sign interpreters and offer regular training to staff to assist visitors with
hearing and speech impairments.
 • Incorporate detailed options for disabilities in the SuSwagatam portal to ensure
inclusivity and accessibility.

Security Checkpoints:

• Introduce specialized screening devices and alternative security procedures to

accommodate wheelchairs without causing inconvenience.
• Redesign security checkpoints to accommodate wheelchairs of all sizes and provide
clear signage and protocols for wheelchair users.
• Train personnel specifically to handle security checks for people with disabilities
respectfully and efficiently.
• Offer temporary wheelchairs for use within the premises if personal wheelchairs do
not pass security checks, ensuring accessibility for all visitors.

Enhancing accessibility for HIV-positive/Protected persons:

• Implementation of Pseudonym Protocols to protect the identities of HIV-positive

individuals/protected persons during legal proceedings.
• Development of strict protocols for the use of pseudonyms and other anonymizing
techniques throughout all stages of legal proceedings.
• Preparation and enforcement of clear and coherent guidelines for managing cases
involving HIV-positive individuals to ensure prioritized and swift resolution.
• Deployment of innovative technology, such as encrypted systems, to safeguard
confidentiality and facilitate swift resolution of cases involving HIV-positive
individuals.
• Bolstering monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure adherence to the
mandates of the Act and promptly address any lapses in maintaining anonymity.

Establishment of an Accessibility and Inclusion Section:

• Creation of a specialized Accessibility and Inclusion Section within the Registry of

the Supreme Court of India.
• This section would serve as a centralized unit for managing all matters related to
accessibility and inclusion.
• Responsible for receiving, resolving, and managing concerns, requests, and queries
regarding accessibility and inclusion.
• Ensuring adherence to and implementation of rigorous accessibility standards and
guidelines.
 • Establishment of a single window to provide all necessary accommodations, staffed
with trained personnel.

Other Suggestions for Enhancing Functional Accessibility:

• Regular audits of the Supreme Court website to ensure accessibility.

• Equipping the Supreme Court library with computers having screen reading
software like JAWS and providing soft copy book options for eligible persons with
disabilities.
• Development of a policy to ensure accessibility features are incorporated into Free
and Open-Source Software (FOSS) used by the Supreme Court.
• Installation of dynamic QR Codes for navigation within the court premises,
especially beneficial for visually impaired individuals.

Supreme Court Library:

• Equipping the library with computers having screen reading software like JAWS.
• Providing soft copy book options for eligible persons with disabilities.

Accessibility Policy for FOSS:

• Developing a policy to ensure accessibility features are incorporated into Free and
Open-Source Software (FOSS) used by the Supreme Court.

Navigational Aids:

• Installation of dynamic QR Codes for navigation within the court premises.

Disability Inclusive Language:

• Adoption of Disability Inclusive Language Guidelines prepared by the United

Nations to refer to persons with disabilities.
• Conducting sensitization and awareness efforts modeled around these guidelines.

Enhanced Accessibility in Auditoriums:

• Earmarking specific spaces within the auditorium for wheelchair users.

• Customizing chairs within these spaces to be movable to accommodate wheelchair
audiences seamlessly.
• Installing hydraulic lifts or ramps to the stage and podium to facilitate access for
resource persons using wheelchairs.
 • Providing customized podiums at suitable levels to accommodate speakers with
varying needs.

Permanent Accessibility Committee:

• Formation of a Permanent Accessibility Committee composed predominantly of

domain experts, preferably individuals experiencing disabilities.
• Acting as an advisory body to guide and counsel the Accessibility and Inclusion
Section.

Corridors:

• Providing designated areas or racks for bags to prevent overcrowding and clutter in
the corridors.

Braille Printer:

• Installation of a Braille printer to make resources available in Braille for individuals

who use this writing system.

Panel of Sign Language Interpreters:

• Formation of a dedicated panel of sign language interpreters within the Supreme

Court to facilitate effective communication for persons with hearing and speech
impairments.

Granting Reasonable Accommodations to Lawyers with Disabilities:

• Recognition and granting of reasonable accommodations, including short breaks

and brief adjournments, to lawyers with disabilities to ensure a level playing field.

Mandatory Accessibility Evaluation of New Digital Platforms:

• Implementation of mandatory accessibility evaluations for all new digital platforms

and initiatives before their official release to ensure inclusivity and equitable access
for all individuals.