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Access to justice begins with dialogue, must ensure dignity and inclusion: CJI Surya Kant
The CJI said access to justice cannot be considered meaningful if it is hindered due poverty, disability, language or lack of awareness.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said public access to justice rests on dialogue, dignity and inclusion, which are also the key objectives of legal aid. The CJI was addressing the Western Zone Regional Conference of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in Indore.
CJI Kant said legal aid works with the understanding that people are spoken to and not merely spoken at. It ensures that they are treated as citizens and not mere case numbers. The aim of legal aid is reach the people "wherever they are", rather than expected them "to find their own way to us".
"Access to Justice has never been built by laws alone. It begins with a conversation. Before justice can be delivered, people must feel heard," he was quoted as saying by Bar and Bench.
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Explaining why ensuring dignity matters, the CJI said, "For the ordinary citizen, the experience of justice begins the moment they walk into a legal aid clinic. Long before a judicial order is passed, they have already formed an opinion about the justice system from the manner in which they are received, heard and treated." Hence, it is important to offer a patient explanation and have a respectful conversation.
Stressing on the need for inclusion, the CJI said access to justice cannot be considered meaningful if it is hindered due poverty, disability, language or lack of awareness. "The real test of an institution is not how well it serves those who are able to reach it, but how effectively it reaches those who never can," he said.
To further ease access, the grievances and hardships of different communities should be heard in their own languages, the CJI said.
The Chief Justice termed legal services volunteers as part of "judicial army", who play essential role in taking the government schemes to the grassroots level.
The inaugural session of the conference was attended by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and judges from the Supreme Court and High Courts.
Addressing the event, CM Yadav said the justice system has undergone significant transformations driven by modern technology. "The judicial framework is being revamped through systems such as e-filing, digital records, the 'One Data-One Case' approach, virtual hearings, and modern judicial management," he said.
