Punjab State Legal Services Authority trains sign language interpreters in mediation to improve access to justice for persons with disabilities
40-hour programme covers specialised communication protocols; interpreters from 12 Punjab districts participate
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, November 7, 2026: In an initiative aimed at making dispute resolution more accessible to persons with hearing and speech disabilities, the Punjab State Legal Services Authority (PULSA) has organised a specialised 40-hour mediation training programme for sign language interpreters.
The five-day programme was conducted from November 2 to 6, 2026, under the guidance of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and the leadership of Justice Deepak Sibal, Judge of the High Court and Executive Chairman of PULSA.
The training aimed to address communication barriers faced by persons with disabilities while accessing mediation and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms. It focused on integrating trained Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpreters and specialised communication protocols into the mediation process.
Sharing details of the initiative, PULSA Member Secretary Arun Kumar Aggarwal said the online training was conducted by senior trainers of the Supreme Court of India’s Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC), Swarn Sandhir and Monika Jalota.
Sign language interpreters representing 12 districts of Punjab participated in the programme. The initiative is intended to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate in mediation proceedings and access alternative dispute resolution mechanisms without communication barriers.
As part of its next steps, PULSA plans to institutionalise the deployment of certified sign language interpreters across all District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) in Punjab. The interpreters will be made available during mediation proceedings and other alternative dispute resolution processes.
The move is aimed at strengthening access to justice by making legal services and dispute resolution proceedings more inclusive and accessible.