Silent Justice: Supreme Court Allows Sign Language Translation For Hearing-Impaired Lawyers

In a groundbreaking move, the Supreme Court of India is allowing case proceedings to be translated into sign language to accommodate hearing-impaired lawyers. This initiative underscores the message that justice can be served without the need for spoken words within courtrooms.

Advocate-on-record Sanchita Ain recently made an unconventional request to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's bench. She sought permission for deaf advocate Sarah Sunny to virtually argue a case related to the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) with the assistance of sign language interpreter Saurav Roychowdhury.

Chief Justice Chandrachud readily agreed, and the virtual court session was set up to include Sarah and Saurav. This marked a significant departure from the traditional legal proceedings.

As the cases were rapidly listed for urgent hearings, Saurav conveyed the court proceedings to Sarah through swift hand and finger movements. Even Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was impressed, remarking, "The speed with which the interpreter conveyed the court proceedings to the lawyer was amazing," a sentiment the Chief Justice echoed.

When the Javed Abidi Foundation's petition was called, the Sarah-Saurav duo engaged in a remarkable display of silent sign language arguments. The case led to additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati stating that an updated status report would be filed by the Union government.

This move towards inclusivity is not new for the Supreme Court. Last year, the Chief Justice enlisted the services of advocate Santosh Kumar Rungta, a visually impaired lawyer, to assess the accessibility of the SC website. Rungta's efforts led to a 2013 SC directive for a 3% reservation for differently-abled individuals in government jobs.

Justice Chandrachud has consistently championed equal opportunities for PWD, with his orders and judgments reflecting this commitment to inclusivity and justice for all.

Author: Anushka Taraniya

News Writer, MIT ADT University