NEWS – Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in India: A Data-Informed Report was released by Pacta (Bengaluru-based think tank).

HIGHLIGHTS

• Core Finding: Severe lack of disability-disaggregated data across police, prisons, judiciary, and legal aid systems hampers reforms and accountability.
• Legal Context: Despite mandates under UNCRPD (2008) and RPwD Act (2016), implementation remains fragmented and inconsistent across states.
• Employment Gaps: Persons with disabilities underrepresented in justice sector jobs; mandated quotas poorly enforced.
• Capacity Deficit: 2022 NCRB data shows only 36.23% of psychologist/psychiatrist roles in prisons are filled.
• Infrastructure Issues: Courts, police stations, and prisons often remain physically and digitally inaccessible.
• Training Lapses: Limited disability sensitisation among police, judiciary, prison staff, and legal aid providers.
• Legal Aid Barriers: Only 0.29% of legal aid beneficiaries in 2023–24 were persons with disabilities.
• Recommendations: Mandatory data collection, accessibility audits, transparency in accommodations, and integration of disability rights in training.