Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that simplifying legal language will enhance accessibility to justice for the common man.
Inaugurating the two-day International Lawyers’ Conference 2023, organised by the Bar Council of India (BCI), the Prime Minister stressed on the importance of making the law accessible and relatable to every citizen so that they feel a sense of ownership over it.
The two-day international conference features technical sessions with aim to enhance knowledge sharing, and a valedictory session.
Emerging challenges in Justice Delivery System is the theme of the conference.
The Prime Minister said that in the past, legal drafting was overly complex, which created barriers for the common man.
He added that the government was committed to find solutions for simplifying the language used in laws.
He did not fail to complement Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud for his initiative to provide operative parts of judgments in a language the litigant can understand.
PM Modi also said that legal system should communicate with the common man in a way that makes them feel a sense of ownership and understanding of the law.
He said the International Lawyers’ Conference was a sign of Vasudev Kutumbakam, which meant the nation was open to the world as India’s age-old philosophy of considering the world as one family.
He thanked the legal fraternity for playing a significant role in India’s fight for independence. He highlighted that many lawyers abandoned their legal practices to join the independence movement.
The Prime Minister also spoke in length about the pivotal role played by an independent judiciary in shaping the world’s perception of India.
He added that an independent judiciary has attributed to India’s growing global reputation.
PM Modi also spoke about the achievements and initiatives taken in India, including the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which provides women with 33 percent reservation in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative assemblies and the Delhi Legislative Assembly. He further mentioned Chandrayaan-3, India’s historic achievement of becoming the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon.
He reiterated that India’s pledges to become a developed nation by 2047 and said that the vision would be incomplete without an unbiased, strong and independent judiciary.
PM Modi said it’s the need of the hour to address challenges that transcend borders and jurisdictions. He cited examples like cyber terrorism, money laundering, artificial intelligence and its misuse, emphasizing the necessity for a global framework to address these issues.
He drew a parallel with international cooperation in air traffic control and called for similar global frameworks in various domains.
PM also touched the topic of alternate dispute resolution mechanism along with India’s historical use of Panchayats (local self-governing bodies).
The event marked address by other dignitaries, including Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Attorney General for India R Venkataramani, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.