BENGALURU, 7 JULY

Critical data on persons with disabilities in the justice system is missing or inconsistent, making accountability and reform difficult, said the findings of a first-of-its-kind research – Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in India: A Data Informed Report.

Launched by Pacta, a Bengaluru-based law and policy think tank, the report exposes critical data gaps and systemic exclusion of persons with disabilities across India's police, prison, judiciary and legal aid systems.

The report also underscores how India's justice system, despite some progressive mandates, remains largely inaccessible to persons with disabilities owing to the absence of reliable data and poor institutional implementation.

In his foreword to the report, former Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud observed that data-driven reports are invaluable.

"They go beyond anecdotal or moral appeal. They enable precise policymaking, track compliance, and create accountability. They also provide civil society, courts, and policymakers with the tools to move from aspiration to action," he wrote.

Chandrachud said in documenting the barriers and the breakthroughs, the report makes an even deeper argument: that inclusive systems benefit everyone.

Justice Chandrachud added that the curb cut effect (disability friendly design like curb cuts for wheelchairs, for instance, raise the overall accessibility for those with strollers and luggage using curb cuts) uplifts our collective expectations from institutions.

"Positive measures such as accessible filing systems, disability sensitisation, and representation within institutions do not just help persons with disabilities; they strengthen the justice system as a whole, making it more humane, participatory, and responsive," he added.