By Subhash Chandra Vashishth
These developments make it increasingly clear that accessibility is no longer a matter of corporate goodwill or voluntary inclusion. It is now being treated as a legal, constitutional, and governance obligation.
Finance Ministry Reiterates Accessibility Obligations
On 3 June 2026, the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, issued a communication to the Reserve Bank of India, IRDAI, PFRDA, State Bank of India, LIC, NABARD, all Public Sector Banks, Public Sector Insurance Companies, and several financial institutions.
The Ministry noted that references and complaints were continuing to be received regarding non-compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the RPwD Rules, 2017, and accessibility standards notified by DFS, particularly concerning physical and digital accessibility for persons with disabilities.
The communication reminded institutions of their obligations under the accessibility standards notified for the banking, insurance, pension and financial sectors during 2024, as well as the mandatory non-negotiable ICT accessibility standards issued in September 2025. Institutions were also directed to periodically review their systems, infrastructure and policies relating to accessibility and undertake corrective measures wherever required.
The issuance of yet another reminder by the Ministry is itself significant. It reflects a growing recognition within government that the existence of legal standards alone is insufficient and that active monitoring and implementation are necessary to ensure compliance.
Accessibility Is About Employees Too
Accessibility discussions in banking frequently focus on customers. However, recent proceedings before the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities demonstrate that accessibility obligations extend equally to employees with disabilities.
In proceedings involving Canara Bank, the CCPD examined a range of issues affecting employees with disabilities, including accessibility of internal HRMS and employee portals, provision of assistive technologies such as JAWS screen-reading software, accessibility of workplace infrastructure, grievance redress mechanisms, transfer policies, and implementation of reasonable accommodation measures.
The proceedings highlighted an often-overlooked reality: inaccessible internal systems can exclude employees just as effectively as inaccessible customer-facing services exclude customers.
Accessibility must therefore be viewed as a workplace issue as much as a customer service issue.
Delhi High Court Reinforces Equality in Career Advancement
The Delhi High Court recently considered concerns raised by the Visually Impaired Bank Employees Welfare Association (VIBEWA) regarding promotional opportunities available to visually impaired employees in State Bank of India. This issue is covered by our DRI initiative at link: VIBEWA Judgement 29 May 2026.
The Court directed SBI to review its promotion framework and consider alternative pathways that would enable employees with visual disabilities to advance in their careers. The Court emphasized that employees with disabilities should not face discrimination in matters relating to promotion and career progression.
This intervention is important because it reinforces a fundamental principle of the RPwD Act: disability inclusion cannot stop at recruitment. Equal opportunity must extend throughout an employee's career, including training, assessment, promotion and leadership opportunities.
The judgment reflects a growing judicial willingness to scrutinize institutional practices that may have the effect of excluding persons with disabilities from advancement opportunities.
CCPD's Canara Bank Order: Accessibility as a Condition for Equality
Perhaps the most significant recent development is the detailed order passed by the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in a matter involving Canara Bank.
The dispute arose when a visually impaired employee was transferred from an accessible branch to another branch where the route to the workplace required crossing a hazardous area involving an open drain and unsafe pedestrian access. The employee contended that the location was inaccessible and unsafe, making it impossible for him to report for duty safely.
After examining photographic evidence and considering the circumstances, the CCPD concluded that the branch failed to provide a barrier-free environment and that the conditions posed a serious navigational hazard for a person with visual impairment.
Importantly, the CCPD observed that accessibility cannot be confined to the building itself. The route to the workplace, surrounding environment, pedestrian pathways, and practical usability of the workplace are all integral components of accessibility.
The order recognizes a reality often ignored in accessibility assessments: a building cannot be considered accessible if persons with disabilities cannot safely reach it.
Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodation as Constitutional Imperatives
The CCPD's order is particularly noteworthy for its reliance on recent constitutional jurisprudence.
Referring to the Supreme Court's decisions in Rajive Raturi v. Union of India and S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India, the Chief Commissioner emphasized that accessibility is not merely a statutory requirement but an integral component of the rights to life, dignity, equality and freedom of movement guaranteed under the Constitution.
The order further observed that accessibility and reasonable accommodation are structural prerequisites for equality. When barriers prevent a person with disability from effectively accessing a workplace, the promise of equal opportunity becomes illusory.
In a significant observation, the CCPD stated that the workplace must be viewed not merely as a physical building but as an integrated landscape that must be barrier-free if equal employment opportunities are to be meaningful.
This reasoning represents an important evolution in disability rights jurisprudence and aligns closely with the social model of disability embodied in the RPwD Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Accessibility Audits Are Becoming Enforcement Mechanisms
Another important feature of the CCPD's order is its recommendation that Canara Bank undertake a formal accessibility audit through auditors empanelled by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and submit an Action Taken Report within a prescribed timeline.
The order also indicated that failure to comply could attract proceedings under the RPwD Act.
This reflects a broader trend across sectors. Accessibility audits are increasingly evolving from voluntary assessments into compliance and accountability mechanisms.
Financial institutions would therefore be well advised to view accessibility audits not as one-time exercises but as essential governance tools for identifying barriers, managing risks, and ensuring legal compliance.
Connecting the Dots
When viewed together, the DFS circular, the Delhi High Court's intervention in the VIBEWA matter, and the CCPD's Canara Bank order reveal a remarkably consistent policy direction.
The Ministry of Finance is directing institutions to review infrastructure, systems and policies for accessibility.
The Delhi High Court is ensuring that disability does not become a barrier to career advancement.
The Chief Commissioner is emphasizing that inaccessible infrastructure and inadequate accommodation can undermine the constitutional guarantee of equality in employment.
Each intervention addresses a different aspect of accessibility, yet all converge on a common principle: persons with disabilities must be able to access, use and participate in financial institutions on an equal basis with others.
The Road Ahead
For many years, accessibility within the financial sector was often treated as a matter of customer service, corporate social responsibility, or welfare. The recent developments demonstrate that this approach is no longer sufficient.
Accessibility is increasingly being recognized as a matter of legal compliance, institutional governance, human rights, and constitutional responsibility.
Banks, insurance companies, pension institutions and financial regulators must now move beyond policy statements and focus on implementation. This requires accessible infrastructure, accessible digital platforms, effective grievance redress mechanisms, reasonable accommodation for employees, regular accessibility audits, and continuous monitoring of compliance.
The direction of policy is unmistakable. India is entering a new era in which accessibility is becoming a core operational requirement for the financial sector. Institutions that embrace this shift proactively will not only comply with the law but will also help build a truly inclusive financial ecosystem for millions of persons with disabilities.
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