Search Results

Access to Justice For Persons with Disabilities in India Access to justice is a foundational right and a necessary condition for the realisation of all other rights. Yet, for persons with disabilities in India, the justice system remains difficult to navigate — marked by physical, procedural, attitudinal, and systemic barriers. Pacta's research emerges from our sustained engagement with the intersections of law, policy, and disability rights, and is grounded in the belief that justice systems must be designed to serve everyone. Our Research Full Report - Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in India Booklet - Summary of Findings and Recommendations Audio Overview of Findings and Recommendations Accessible version of our full report (Screen-reader friendly) Report Launch Event - Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in India Data Insights on Decisions of India’s Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 2024 Justice X Data The Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in India report is a first of its kind research study. This report carves out the legal mandate for an inclusive justice system for persons with disabilities and maps it against data mandates and publicly available data, in an attempt towards the attainment of the constitutional vision of justice for all citizens in India. By mapping the presence — and significant absence of data, this report seeks to identify systemic blind spots, encourage transparent reporting, and advocate for evidence-based reforms that promote accountability and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Justice systems of Police, Prisons, Judiciary and Legal Aid. The report draws primarily on government-published datasets and public documents. It is further informed by jurisprudence, secondary research, and field-level insights, including 417 RTI application responses. Who is it for? This work isintended for policy-makers, civil society actors, researchers, and justice sector stake-holders who are committed to transformingthe justice system into one that reflects the diversity and dignity of all its users. Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities across the Four Pillars of the Justice System Disability and the Police Disability and Prisons Disability and the Judiciary Disability and Legal Aid Mandates for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Justice System United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 + Rules Harmonised Guidelines 2021 MHA Accessibility Guidelines 2021 Supreme Court Accessibility Report 2023 Special courts and prosecutors, disability training mandates Prison Rules, Jail Manuals How can Persons with Disabilities be Included in the System? As Users of the System Persons with disabilities as justice seekers As a part of Human Resources Persons with disabilities as justice providers Through Accessible Infrastructure Physical and digital accessibility and inclusion Through System Response Disability aware and disability responsive systems Where are we on inclusive justice systems? How do we strengthen disability inclusion? What immediate action can be taken? Findings The findings highlights the systemic lack of data across the justice system vis-a-vis persons with disabilities, and implementation of measures of inclusion despite mandates for disability inclusion urges the case for better data collection and public reporting of such data. Recommendations Recommendations focus on disability inclusion in the justice system through awareness, enforcement of reservation policies, infrastructure accessibility, and comprehensive data collection. Checklists The research has enabled the creation of data collection checklists that can guide disability data collection initiatives by each of the justice institutions - Police, Prisons, Judiciary and Legal Aid. Pillar-wise Findings, Recommendations and Checklists Police - Findings (pdf) Police - Recommendations (pdf) Police - Checklists (pdf) Findings Recommendations Checklists Prisons - Findings (pdf) Prisons - Recommendations (pdf) Prisons - Checklists (pdf) Findings Recommendations Checklists Judiciary - Findings (pdf) Judiciary - Recommendations (pdf) Judiciary - Checklists (pdf) Findings Recommendations Checklists Legal Aid - Findings (pdf) Legal Aid - Recommendations (pdf) Legal Aid - Checklists (pdf) Findings Recommendations Checklists As India makes strides towards making its public systems inclusive and accessible for all, we hope that this report serves as a repository of baseline data, and spurs action towards data collection and reporting of persons with disabilities in the justice system. As India makes strides towards making its public systems inclusive and accessible for all, we hope that this report serves as a repository of baseline data, and spurs action towards data collection and reporting of persons with disabilities in the justice system. As India makes strides towards making its public systems inclusive and accessible for all, we hope that this report serves as a repository of baseline data, and spurs action towards data collection and reporting of persons with disabilities in the justice system. As India makes strides towards making its public systems inclusive and accessible for all, we hope that this report serves as a repository of baseline data, and spurs action towards data collection and reporting of persons with disabilities in the justice system. At the heart of the problem is a profound data vacuum. Disability disaggregated data across all components of the justice system is rare, inconsistent, or absent. The maxim “what doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get done” rings especially true here. This report addresses that gap, and in doing so, performs a foundational public service. By collecting, analysing, and systematising data on accessibility across the justice system, it creates the conditions necessary for reform. - Dr Justice D Y Chandrachud

< Back Disability Budgets in India 2021-2026 DOWNLOAD Application is no longer available. Previous Next

< Back State of Unique Disability Identity Implementation in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh DOWNLOAD Application is no longer available. Previous Next

< Back CSR and Sports in India: Emerging Trends and Implications DOWNLOAD Application is no longer available. Previous Next

< Back CSR and Sports in India-The First Decade DOWNLOAD Application is no longer available. Previous Next

< Back Towards Enhancing Data Utility and Accessibility for Schools DOWNLOAD Application is no longer available. Previous Next

Legal advise on Tech Contracts, Digital Transformation Agreements, Open Source Intellectual Property for social impact initiatives and NGOs. TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS | IP | DATA PRIVACY & SECURITY Nonprofits are becoming increasingly technology-dependent for internal processes, program delivery, impact measurement, and research surveys. Laws governing data use, data privacy, data protection, and security apply as much to social enterprises as they do to commercial enterprises. Data privacy audits and compliance under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 General licensing agreements, end-user license agreements, and terms of use Service agreements for digital transformations Open-source licensing of educational, research, and learning resources AI implementation for social impact - ethical and legal risk mitigation

Drafting contracts and legal due diligence in land acquisition, construction, for schools, univerisity, biodiversity parks, hospitals INFRASTRUCTURE & REAL ESTATE Pacta provides legal documentation support in engineering and construction projects for schools, universities, hospitals, bio-parks, libraries, museums, archives, office premises, community centers, sports complexes, and waste management facilities. Lease, sale, build-operate-transfer, and license agreements Legal due diligence prior to land purchase Tenders, agreements, and approvals for development projects Issuing notices and responding to notices from landowners and statutory authorities

Tech policy research, data privacy and data governance research on tech and society implications. DATA & TECHNOLOGY Pacta acknowledges the potential of technology and data centric solutions to several population scale challenges in India. Devising good governance models and legal frameworks for just advancement of technology and data practices. How does Pacta help? Pacta tracks tech-policy and techno-legal developments to identify implications on access to safe internet, data privacy, gender, labour rights and anti-trust practices. In our tech law and policy research, we factor voices of the average citizen, marginalised communities and government. RESEARCH OUTPUTS & PUBLICATIONS Anchor 1 SEE ALL PUBLICATIONS CLIENTS & PARTNERS