Ease of justice key for equity: PM at NALSA event

PRime government minister Narendra Modi said on sat that “ comfort of living” and “ comfort of doing business organisation” can only be realised if citizens experience “ease of justice”, stressing that justice must be timely and accessible to all irrespective of their economic or social background.Speaking at the national conference on “Strengthening Legal Aid Delivery Mechanisms” organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) at the Supreme Court, the PM said that when justice reaches everyone without discrimination, delay or prohibitive costs, it becomes the true foundation of social justice.“When justice is accessible to all, delivered in a timely manner, and reaches every individual regardless of their social or financial background—that is when it truly becomes the foundation of social justice. In recent years, several steps have been taken to enhance ‘ease of justice’ and going forward, we will accelerate efforts in this direction,” Modi said.Legal services authorities, he added, continue to act as a crucial bridge between the judiciary and citizens, particularly those who may lack representation or familiarity with the justice system. The PM noted that Lok Adalats and pre-litigation settlements have resolved lakhs of disputes “swiftly, amicably and with low expenditure,” and that the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System has helped settle nearly eight lakh criminal cases in the past three years.Modi said that over the last eleven years, the government has focused on improving regulatory conditions and simplifying governance to support businesses and citizens alike. He cited the removal of over 40,000 compliance requirements, decriminalisation of over 3,400 legal provisions through the Jan Vishwas Act, and repeal of over 1,500 obsolete laws. Historic criminal law reforms, he said, have now replaced long-standing legal codes with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai, CJI-designate Justice Surya Kant, Justice Vikram Nath, Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and senior judges were present at the event.Marking 30 years of NALSA’s establishment, the PM said the organisation has helped connect the justice system to those who often arrive “without resources and at times, without hope”. Providing them with hope and assistance, he said, is the true meaning of the word “service,” which is embedded in NALSA’s name.On the occasion, he launched NALSA’s Community Mediation Training Module, observing that mediation has been rooted in Indian civilisational practice, from village councils to community dispute resolution. The Mediation Act, he said, carries this tradition forward in a modern legal framework, and community mediation could help reduce litigation and strengthen social harmony.Modi also underlined the role of technology in widening access to justice, referring to the ongoing eCourts project, expansion of video-conferencing in courts, and digitisation of filing and summons systems. With over ₹7,000 crore allocated for the third phase of the eCourts initiative, he said the aim is to make judicial processes simpler and more inclusive.The PM further underscored that justice must be delivered in a language that people understand. “When people understand the law in their own language, it leads to better compliance and reduces litigation,” said Modi, welcoming the Supreme Court initiative to translate over 80,000 judgments into 18 Indian languages. He urged similar efforts across high courts and district courts.Modi also underlined that access to justice begins with awareness, noting that many people are unable to seek remedies because they neither know their rights nor how to navigate the legal system. Enhancing legal literacy among vulnerable groups, including women, senior citizens and marginalised communities, must therefore remain a priority, he said.The PM added that law students can play a transformative role if they are encouraged to work with rural communities and low-income groups at the grassroots level. By engaging with self-help groups, cooperatives and panchayat networks to explain legal processes in simple terms, he said, young legal professionals can help bring legal knowledge “to every doorstep” while also gaining a deeper sense of society’s lived realities.Calling for a collective vision for the justice system of a “developed India,” Modi said legal institutions, law colleges, self-help groups and grassroots governance structures must work together to expand legal awareness and strengthen confidence in the justice delivery system.