Centre to Finalise OTT Accessibility Rules in Three Months, Delhi High Court Told

Overview

• The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has posted draft OTT accessibility guidelines for public comment, with submissions reportedly open until October 22.
• Justice Sachin Datta recorded the government's assurance in court and disposed of the case, allowing the petitioners to file feedback and pursue legal remedies if needed.
• The draft proposes that within six months of notification all new titles include at least one feature—closed or open captions, audio description, or Indian Sign Language—and that platforms progressively update older libraries, file monthly compliance reports, and ensure apps support assistive technologies.
• The proposed norms say platforms should strive to offer audio descriptions and exclude live or deferred live events, audio-only content, and short-form advertisements from the requirements.
• The visually impaired petitioners flagged gaps in the draft and consultation process, seeking mandatory language, penalties for non-compliance, same-language captions, adherence to IS 17802 standards, and stronger representation of persons with disabilities in oversight.