The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on a petition demanding compliance with accessibility guidelines for hearing and visually impaired viewers. The court has asked for a reply within four weeks. Justice Sanjeev Narula, who is hearing the petition, has scheduled the next hearing for January 21.
The petition, filed by visually impaired Suman Bhokare, argues for the enforcement of accessibility standards as directed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on March 15. According to these guidelines, films certified in more than one language must include at least one accessibility feature—such as subtitles or audio description—to aid visually and hearing impaired viewers, effective from September 14.
Alleged Non-Compliance in Recent Film Releases
The petitioner’s lawyer argued that recent releases, including Vettaiyan and Martin, lacked full compliance with these mandatory accessibility features. He stressed that public screenings should display films on a universally accepted ‘accessibility application,’ ensuring all required features are available.
In response, the CBFC’s lawyer noted that theaters are given a two-year period to integrate these accessibility features, as outlined in the guidelines.
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