The Supreme Court for the first time heard a case argued by a lawyer with hearing impairment via an interpreter using sign language.
On Friday, advocate-on-record Sanchita Ain made an unusual request to a Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud-led bench — advocate Sarah Sunny be permitted to virtually argue a case concerning the rights of Persons with Disability (PwD) with the help of sign language interpreter Saurav Roychowdhury.
During the case, when the Javed Abidi Foundation’s petition was mentioned, Sarah and Saurav used silent sign language to make their points quickly. This left the court amazed.
“It was a dream come true experience for me. I had a great desire to appear for a case in the highest court of the judiciary of our country, which I never expected so soon and that, too, accomplished in the presence of the Honourable Chief Justice of India. This gives me more confidence and guts. I want to be a role model for others who are specially-abled,” Sarah Sunny said to India Today.
“The speed with which the interpreter conveyed the court proceedings to the lawyer was amazing!”, The Times of India reported the ASG saying, and the CJI was in agreement.
