The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a public interest petition seeking to make the ZEE5 streaming platform fully accessible to persons with disabilities and directed that steps be taken towards compliance with the applicable accessibility standards.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma was hearing a petition seeking directions to Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited to conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit of the ZEE5 platform across its Android and iOS applications, website, smart television applications and desktop software. The petitioner also sought a time-bound direction to make the platform fully operable through screen-reader assistive technology in accordance with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Standard IS 17802 on accessibility for ICT products and services.
The petition further sought directions requiring ZEE5 to maintain accessibility throughout its operations, publish an Accessibility Conformance Report on a permanent basis, and conduct regular sensitisation and training of its developers, designers and customer support teams. In the alternative, the petitioner sought directions to the concerned government authorities to enforce the statutory obligations under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, including action for non-compliance under Sections 89 and 90 of the Act.
Issuing notice, the Court recorded the acceptance of notice on behalf of respondents 2 and 3 and sought two weeks’ time to file a counter affidavit. The Court granted the request and permitted the petitioner to file a rejoinder within two weeks thereafter. The Court also noted that despite service of advance notice, no one appeared on behalf of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. Accordingly, it directed that fresh notice be issued to the company through all permissible modes, including electronic service, returnable on September 17, 2026.
Pending further proceedings, Justice Sharma requested the respondent to take steps to make the platform compliant with the BIS Standard IS 17802:2022 (Part 1: Requirements and Part 2: Conformance) governing accessibility for ICT products and services. The Court further directed that expeditious steps be taken to ensure such compliance.
