Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday advocated for simplifying the language of law so that it is easily understood by the local populace and said ease of justice must be ensured for every citizen, irrespective of their social or financial background.

Addressing the inaugural function of a national conference on strengthening legal aid delivery mechanisms at the SC premises, the PM said that ease of justice is a precursor to ensuring social justice. Justice must be made available to everyone, he stressed, adding that the Government’s legal aid defence system is helping provide ease of justice to the poor and deprived.

At the event attended by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, his successor Surya Kant, as well as other judges from the Supreme Court and high courts, Modi said social justice can happen only if justice reaches every citizen irrespective of his or her social or financial background. He said the Government has taken several steps to improve the ease of justice, and it will continue working to accelerate this process.

Modi called for making available the court judgments and legal documents in local languages and lauded the SC for having taken significant steps in this regard. “It is truly commendable that the Supreme Court has taken the initiative to translate more than 80,000 judgments in 18 Indian languages. I am fully confident that this effort will continue at the High Court and district levels as well,” he said. “Language of justice should be the one that is understood by those getting justice,” he said.

Prime Minister said that when people understand the law in their own language, it leads to better compliance and fewer lawsuits.

“When justice is accessible to everyone, is timely and reaches every individual without regard to social or financial background, only then does it become the foundation of social justice,” he said.

He said legal aid plays a crucial role in ensuring that justice reaches everyone.

Modi also referred to technology becoming a key medium for inclusion and empowerment, and lauded the e-courts project as a brilliant example of this in justice delivery. “It shows how technology can make the judicial process modern and humane,” he said. Noting that mediation has always been a part of Indian civilisation, the prime minister said the new Mediation Act is carrying forward this tradition in a modern form.

At the event organised by NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) to mark its 30th anniversary, Modi also launched a new training module on community mediation and said he is confident it will prepare resources that will help in resolving disputes, maintaining harmony and reducing litigation.

He said lakhs of disputes are being resolved faster and at a much lower cost through Lok Adalats and pre-litigation settlements. “Under the legal aid defence counsel system started by the Government of India, more than eight lakh criminal cases have been settled within just three years. These efforts by the Government have ensured ease of justice for the less privileged,” he said.

NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide free legal services to the weaker sections of society and to organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes. The CJI acts as its Patron-in-Chief and the next senior-most Supreme Court judge is the Executive Chairman.

Besides, the state legal services authority has been constituted in every state to give effect to the policies and directions of the NALSA and to give free legal services assistance to the people and conduct Lok Adalats in the state. Article 39A of the Constitution provides that the state shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.

Articles 14 and 22(1) of the Constitution also make it obligatory for the state to ensure equality before the law and a legal system which promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunity to all.