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The Delhi High Court has directed all stakeholders, including the petitioner and respondents, to hold a joint meeting and work towards a broader and workable solution to ensure accessibility of films for persons with disabilities, observing that the issue cannot be confined to the movie Pushpa 2: The Rule alone.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, while hearing a petition filed by visually impaired petitioner Rahul Bajaj, directed that the meeting be convened within one week and asked the stakeholders to take a positive decision within two weeks thereafter. The court said the matter has wider implications and considered it appropriate to give all concerned stakeholders an opportunity to deliberate on the concerns and explore a mutually acceptable resolution. The court's directions came after the petitioner submitted that his grievance was not limited to Pushpa 2 but concerned the accessibility of films generally. He told the court that persons with disabilities continue to face similar difficulties while accessing other films and that the issue required a broader and amicable resolution. The petitioner's case is that, due to his visual impairment, he is unable to access films on an equal footing with other members of the public in the absence of accessibility features such as audio description, same-language closed captioning/subtitling and Indian Sign Language. He alleged that despite the statutory and regulatory framework requiring accessibility for persons with disabilities, films continue to be exhibited without such features on a universal basis. According to the petition, where accessibility is provided, it is often limited to select theatres and may require an application process which itself is allegedly inaccessible. The petitioner had sought directions to ensure the release of Pushpa 2: The Rule with accessibility features across cinema theatres, OTT platforms and other media formats, besides implementation of the accessibility standards issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. He had also sought directions concerning assistive devices and technologies in theatres, action against inaccessible digital ticket-booking platforms and publication of information regarding films certified with or without accessibility features. The petition also sought monetary penalties against the respondents under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. During the hearing, counsel appearing for the respondents submitted that the grievance concerning Pushpa 2 had already been addressed and appropriate measures had been taken. Taking note of the broader issue raised by the petitioner, the High Court directed the stakeholders to deliberate on the concerns regarding accessibility of films and endeavour to arrive at an appropriate and workable resolution. The matter has now been listed for September 11, awaiting the outcome of the stakeholders' deliberations. The court also directed that its order be uploaded on its website forthwith. (ANI)
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