The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy is delighted to invite you to the launch of our new report on ‘Disabled Friendly Consumer Protection – Proposed Amendments to the Indian Consumer Rights Framework’ on 19th March from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at India International Centre (Annexe Building), New Delhi. The launch will be followed by a Panel Discussion and a Q&A session.

About the Report

Consumer laws in India have undergone significant transformation, reflecting a commitment to enhancing consumer rights and protections. However, there remains a critical gap in addressing the needs and rights of a consumer demographic that experiences disadvantage more profoundly than any other – persons with disabilities. This oversight perpetuates systemic barriers, inaccessibility and exclusion faced by them. The approx. 2.2 crore persons with disabilities in India constitute a significant consumer base. Neglecting the unique needs of this demographic means overlooking a substantial customer base and potentially violating the anti-discrimination law protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, namely the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

It is unfortunate that this crucial topic has received limited attention in India. Therefore, at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, we have spent the past few months exploring this issue in depth. We have conducted research to identify the specific challenges faced by consumers with disabilities in accessing goods and services and evaluate the effectiveness of disability and consumer laws in safeguarding their rights and interests. This research has culminated into a comprehensive report which serves as a blueprint for a disabled friendly consumer protection framework in India. 

About the Panel Discussion

The panel discussion will have specific questions aimed at uncovering the reasons behind the limited discourse on this critical issue, understanding the factors contributing to accessibility gaps in consumer protection and evaluating the efficacy of existing consumer and disability laws. The discussion will identify actionable steps for government intervention to enforce policies promoting disabled friendly consumer protection and explore alternative strategies to bolster consumer protection for persons with disabilities.

Panellists:

• Praveen Prakash Ambashta, Deputy Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of India
• Dr. Kiran Gupta, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi
• Amar Jain, Lawyer & Co-Founder, Mission Accessibility

Moderator:

• Rahul Bajaj, Senior Associate Fellow, Disability Inclusion and Access, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

In case of any queries, please reach out to somya.jain@vidhilegalpolicy.in.