HC notice to Swiggy for inaccessibility of mobile app for disabled persons
This story was originally published at 16:15 IST on 23 April 2025
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Informist, Wednesday, Apr. 23, 2025
NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to Swiggy Ltd. and Kiranakart Technologies Pvt. Ltd., now called Zepto, on a plea seeking to address the inaccessibility of their mobile applications for persons with disabilities. The high court also sought the response of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and listed the case for hearing on May 28. The petitioner, Mission Accessibility, said that persons with disabilities could not independently use essential services such as food delivery, grocery shopping, and restaurant reservations from the applications operated by Swiggy and Zepto.
The petitioner said that the lack of accessible search features, unlabelled interactive elements, absence of essential product details and the inability of visually impaired users to position their device cameras for necessary transactions, such as returning items, create severe barriers to independent digital access. The inaction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in enforcing these standards further exacerbates the issue, Mission Accessibility, a non-governmental organisation, said.
The petition has sought directions from the court to mandate the companies to ensure full compliance with digital accessibility standards, make their platforms screen-reader friendly, provide alternative mechanisms for inaccessible elements, and integrate essential features such as voice-guided camera positioning. Furthermore, the petition sought regulatory enforcement to hold non-compliant entities accountable under Sections 89 and 90 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Mission Accessibility asked the court to direct Swiggy and Zepto to submit a detailed accessibility audit report from a government-empanelled auditor identifying all existing barriers faced by persons with disabilities on their digital platforms. The petitioner sought that Swiggy and Zepto provide a comprehensive plan outlining their intended steps to remove accessibility challenges, including clear timelines and implementation strategies. Further, the petitioner sought a long-term strategy from Swiggy and Zepto to ensure that all future updates, modifications, and newly introduced features remain fully accessible and compliant with established accessibility standards.
On Wednesday, shares of Swiggy ended 1.4% higher at INR 348.05 on the National Stock Exchange. End
IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Saji George Titus
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