Deaf and Mute Lawyer Breaks Barriers in Supreme Court with Sign Language

Advocate Sara Sunny marked a historic moment in the Supreme Court of India as the first deaf and mute lawyer to argue a case using sign language during virtual proceedings. This groundbreaking event was made possible with the assistance of Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpreter Saurav Roychowdhury.

Initially, the virtual courtroom’s moderator did not allow the interpreter to keep his video on throughout the proceedings. However, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud granted permission for both Sunny and Roychowdhury to appear on screen, affirming, “Of course, the interpreter can join the proceedings. No problem,” as reported by Live Law.

Advocate Sara Sunny’s appearance in the virtual court was facilitated by Advocate on Record Sanchita Ain. Attendees, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, were impressed by the interpreter’s remarkable speed in conveying sign language.

Sunny expressed her gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “The open mind of the CJI has set an example and opened doors for specially-abled persons. Though this time I was not there for the argument of the case, Advocate Sanchita wanted to open doors for me to get an experience of the Supreme Court and to prove that a specially-abled person is not behind,” as shared with Live Law.

Moreover, the Supreme Court continued its commitment to inclusivity by using sign language interpreters at its two-day national stakeholders’ consultation on child protection. Notably, the invitations for the event were issued in Braille for the benefit of visually-impaired participants.

Re-reported from the article published in Money Control