Anchal Becomes First Blind Woman Advocate to Argue Before Supreme Court

On June 6, 2025, Anchal Bhatheja, a visually impaired advocate, made her appearance before the Supreme Court of India, marking a significant milestone for disability representation in the legal profession.

Born with low vision due to birth complications and later losing her eyesight entirely, Bhatheja completed her schooling with the aid of audiobooks and became the first blind CLAT aspirant to gain admission to the National Law School of India, Bengaluru.

In her first Supreme Court appearance, she represented a petitioner challenging the constitutionality of a recent Uttarakhand Judicial Service recruitment advertisement that limited eligibility for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities to specific subtypes.