CABE Foundation

25/07/2026

Imagine a society where accessibility is considered from the very beginning—not added later as a correction. That vision is called Universal Design.
Universal Design means creating products, services, environments, technologies, and public spaces that can be used by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without requiring adaptation or specialized design.

Examples include:
• Step-free entrances
• Accessible public transport
• Captions on videos
• Tactile pathways
• Accessible websites
• User-friendly public services

Universal Design benefits everyone:
✔ Persons with disabilities
✔ Older persons
✔ Children
✔ Parents with strollers
✔ People with temporary injuries

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 recognizes Universal Design as a key principle for building an inclusive society.

Accessibility should not be an afterthought.
It should be part of every blueprint, policy, website, classroom, workplace, and public service.

22/07/2026

Education is one of the most powerful tools for social inclusion. Yet for many students with disabilities, barriers continue to exist in classrooms, campuses, examinations, learning materials, and digital platforms. Inclusive education requires more than admission—it requires accessibility.

An accessible education system includes:
• Barrier-free campuses
• Accessible study materials
• Inclusive teaching methods
• Sign language interpretation
• Assistive technology
• Examination accommodations

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 recognizes inclusive education as a legal right and places obligations on educational institutions to ensure meaningful participation of students with disabilities.

When education becomes accessible, opportunities expand. When education remains inaccessible, exclusion continues.

Every student deserves an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.

21/07/2026

Equality does not always mean treating everyone the same. Sometimes, true equality requires recognising that different people may need different forms of support to participate on an equal basis.

This is the principle of Reasonable Accommodation, recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Reasonable accommodation may include:
• Extra examination time for students with disabilities
• Accessible workplace adjustments
• Sign language interpretation
• Accessible formats of documents
• Flexible work arrangements
• Assistive technology support

Importantly, reasonable accommodation is not a favour, concession, or privilege. It is a legal obligation designed to remove barriers and create equal opportunities.

When reasonable accommodation is denied, equality itself is denied.

Accessibility removes barriers for everyone through Universal Design. Reasonable accommodation ensures that individual needs are also respected.
Together, they form the foundation of an inclusive society.

03/07/2026

A significant judgment by the Kerala High Court strengthening the rights, autonomy, and legal protection of persons with intellectual disabilities.
The Court held that while appointing a guardian under the provisions of the National Trust Act, 1999, authorities must prioritize the welfare, best interests, and individual circumstances of the person with disability rather than mechanically applying procedural considerations.

The case concerned a person with Down Syndrome, where questions arose regarding the appointment of a guardian under the framework established by the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999.

The High Court emphasized that guardianship proceedings must remain person-centric and rights-oriented. The primary focus should always be the well-being, dignity, protection, and long-term interests of the person with disability.
Importantly, the judgment reflects a broader shift in disability jurisprudence—from substitute decision-making towards supported decision-making, autonomy, and respect for the legal capacity of persons with disabilities, as recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

The ruling is a reminder that guardianship is not merely a legal formality. It carries profound implications for the life, liberty, property, healthcare, and overall well-being of persons with disabilities.
Every guardianship decision must therefore be guided by dignity, inclusion, and the best interests of the individual concerned.

For more information: https://www.disabilityrightsindia.com/2026/06/kerala-high-court-down-syndrome-national-trust-act-guardianship.html

29/06/2026

A significant judgment by the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court reinforcing the rights of armed forces personnel with disabilities.

The Court held that when a disability develops after more than 14 years of military service, authorities cannot deny its attributability to service through cryptic or unsupported medical opinions. The burden lies on the authorities to provide cogent reasons if they seek to deny disability pension benefits.

In this case, the Army personnel developed an eye disability during service after more than fourteen years of enrolment. The initial Medical Board had recorded that the disability was contracted during service and was beyond the individual's control. However, a subsequent denial of attributability was made without adequate reasoning. The High Court found such denial unconvincing and upheld the grant of disability pension.

Relying upon landmark Supreme Court decisions including Dharamvir Singh and Sukhvinder Singh, the Court reiterated an important principle: where no disease or disability is noted at the time of recruitment, and it manifests during service, it is presumed to be service-related unless authorities can clearly prove otherwise.

This judgment is a powerful affirmation that disability pension is not a matter of charity but a recognition of sacrifices made during military service. It also underscores the importance of reasoned decision-making when dealing with the rights and entitlements of persons with disabilities.

For more information: https://www.disabilityrightsindia.com/2026/05/disability-developed-after-14-years-of.html

28/06/2026

A significant development for disability rights jurisprudence and institutional accountability in India.
The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Union Government on a Public Interest Litigation seeking stronger enforcement of recommendations issued by the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) and State Commissioners under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The petition raises a critical concern: What happens when disability commissioners issue recommendations, but public authorities fail to implement them?

Under Sections 76 and 81 of the RPwD Act, authorities are required to act upon such recommendations within a prescribed period or communicate reasons for non-compliance. However, disability rights advocates have long highlighted the challenges arising from delayed implementation and lack of accountability.

This case goes beyond procedural compliance. It concerns the effectiveness of India's disability rights enforcement framework and the ability of persons with disabilities to secure meaningful remedies when their rights are violated.

A stronger enforcement mechanism could significantly improve accountability in matters relating to:
• Accessibility
• Reasonable accommodation
• Inclusive education
• Employment rights
• Social security
• Access to public service

The case serves as an important reminder that rights are meaningful only when they are effectively enforced. The future of disability rights lies not merely in progressive legislation, but in robust implementation and accountability.

For more details: https://www.disabilityrightsindia.com/2026/06/supreme-court-issues-notice-on-pil.html

20/06/2026

🚶‍♀️ Every journey begins on foot.
In a landmark judgment delivered on 19 June 2026, the Supreme Court of India has declared that the right to walk on safe and demarcated footpaths is a fundamental right under Part III of the Constitution.
Drawing strength from Article 19(1)(d) — "All citizens shall have the right to move freely throughout the territory of India" — the Court recognised that the right to move is, first and foremost, the right to walk.
Importantly, the Court held that the rights of pedestrians must take priority over motorised vehicles.
This judgment is not just about road safety. It is about dignity, inclusion, public health, and equal participation in society.
For persons with disabilities, older persons, children, and millions of pedestrians across India, inaccessible or non-existent footpaths are not an inconvenience—they are barriers to education, employment, healthcare, public transport, recreation, and independent living.
Despite comprehensive standards, including the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the Harmonised Guidelines on Universal Accessibility, Indian Roads Congress standards, and various street design manuals, roads continue to be built without accessible pedestrian infrastructure.
As the Court observed, where a road exists, there must be a corresponding duty to provide and maintain safe footpaths.

Our latest article by Subhash Chandra Vashishth examines what this judgment means for:
🔹 Disability rights and independent living
🔹 Urban, semi-urban, and rural accessibility
🔹 The hidden costs of inaccessible streets
🔹 The growing dependence on private vehicles, even for short journeys
🔹 Public health, active mobility, and economic participation
🔹 The need to redesign streets for people, not just vehicles

The Supreme Court has recognised the right to walk.
The challenge now is to ensure that every road in India is designed for those who walk upon it first. Subhash Chandra Vashishth

Read the full analysis originally covered here. https://www.cabefoundation.com/2026/06/supreme-court-right-to-walk-accessible-footpaths-india.html

A critical analysis of the Supreme Court's right to walk judgment and its implications for accessible footpaths, disability rights, inclusive mobility

18/06/2026

📢 CABE Foundation at NADT Delhi: Advancing Inclusion through Accessibility

CABE Foundation was honoured to contribute to “Samvedna – Advancing Inclusion: A Capacity Building Initiative of the Income Tax Department”, a one-day sensitisation workshop organised by the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Regional Campus, Delhi, under the aegis of the Directorate of Training, CBDT.

As part of the programme, Adv. Subhash Chandra Vashishth, Director, CABE Foundation, delivered a technical briefing on “Understanding Disability and Its Legal Aspects; Key Areas of Digital Accessibility.”

The session focused on:

🔹 Understanding disability through a rights-based lens
🔹 Key provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016
🔹 The importance of digital accessibility in public service delivery
🔹 Practical ways to make government platforms and services more inclusive

Accessibility is not only about compliance—it is about ensuring that every citizen can access information, services, and opportunities independently and with dignity and its even more important when services at Income Tax Department have moved completely online impacting persons with disabilities- both as tax payers as well as employees!

We thank the leadership and organising team at NADT Regional Campus, Delhi, and the Directorate of Training, CBDT, for creating this valuable platform for dialogue and learning.

13/06/2026

Section 38 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provides an important mechanism for persons who require high support needs.
In simple terms, it means:
If a person with benchmark disability feels they need extra or intensive support, they (or someone on their behalf) can apply to a designated authority.
What happens next?
• The application is reviewed by a specialised Assessment Board
• The Board examines the person’s condition and support requirements
• A detailed report is prepared specifying the nature and level of support needed
• Based on this report, the Government must take steps to provide the required support through schemes and policies
This provision ensures that support is not left to chance—it is assessed, certified, and then mandatorily acted upon by the State.
In essence, Section 38 builds a structured system to identify and address high support needs in a dignified and scientific manner.

12/06/2026

Section 24 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 ensures that persons with disabilities can live with dignity, independence, and equal support in society.
In simple terms, it requires the Government to create schemes that:
• Provide adequate financial and social support within available resources
• Ensure assistance is at least 25% higher than similar schemes for others
• Take into account different types of disabilities, age, gender, and socio-economic conditions

These schemes may include:
– Community living facilities with safety, healthcare, and counselling
– Shelter and care for abandoned persons with disabilities
– Support during disasters and emergencies
– Special livelihood and child care support for women with disabilities
– Access to clean water and sanitation, especially in rural and urban slum areas
– Free aids, medicines, diagnostics, and corrective surgeries for eligible persons
– Disability pension and unemployment allowance for those unable to find work
– Care-giver allowance for persons with high support needs
– Comprehensive insurance coverage
In essence, Section 24 places a responsibility on the State to ensure dignity, care, and inclusion beyond mere survival.