MUMBAI: A division bench headed by acting Chief Justice Naresh Patil directed the state government to update all its websites, make them disabled-friendly and file a status report in three months.
Justice Patil gave the order, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by city-based NGO Disability Rights Initiative, seeking a direction to the government and other authorities concerned to make their websites user-friendly for disabled people. The court asked the State Bank of India to make its website available in Marathi as well.
Advocate Kranti L C, appearing for the petitioners, told the court that even today, certain government websites are difficult to access for those who are disabled, including the visually challenged. Kranti explained to the court that when a blind person/lawyer is accessing the Bombay High Court website, he may not know that there is some new update popping on the website, unless it blinks or there is some sound.
The high court directed the state government to ensure guidelines are complied with and that all their websites are disabled-friendly. The court also said the state government and local bodies like the zilla parishads and gram panchayats shall upgrade their websites according to the guidelines.
