(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Nov 10 (KNN) Prime Minister Modi on Saturday emphasised that true ease of living and ease of doing business can only be achieved when access to justice is made easier, highlighting the crucial role of legal aid in this effort.

Speaking at the National Conference on Strengthening Legal Aid Delivery Mechanisms, organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on Legal Services Day, Modi said,“Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living are truly possible only when Ease of Justice is also ensured. In recent years, several steps have been taken to enhance Ease of Justice, and going forward, we will accelerate efforts in this direction.”

He stressed that justice must speak the language of the people, calling for laws, judgments and legal documents to be accessible in local languages to enhance compliance, reduce litigation and empower citizens.

Modi noted,“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.”

He highlighted the government's focus on enhancing ease of doing business and ease of living, citing measures such as scrapping over 40,000 compliance requirements, decriminalising 3,400 legal provisions under the Jan Vishwas Act, repealing more than 1,500 outdated laws, and introducing the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Highlighting the impact of legal aid initiatives, PM Modi said nearly eight lakh criminal cases were resolved in three years under the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System.

Lok Adalats and pre-litigation settlements, he added, continue to resolve lakhs of disputes swiftly, affordably and amicably-benefiting the poor and marginalised.

Modi also announced the launch of NALSA's Community Mediation Training Module, describing it as a modern reinforcement of India's traditional consensus-based dispute resolution systems and expressing confidence that it would strengthen community-level conflict resolution and reduce litigation.

Highlighting the role of technology as a driver of democratic access, he pointed to the expansion of digital infrastructure, the success of UPI in promoting financial inclusion, and the eCourts initiative, which now has an expanded budget of over Rs 7,000 crore for its third phase.

He said technology-enabled judicial processes - including e-filing, electronic summons, and virtual hearings - had made justice more efficient and accessible.

Modi stressed the need for greater legal awareness among vulnerable groups and encouraged law students to contribute to awareness campaigns in rural areas.

He also reiterated the importance of delivering justice in languages understood by litigants, welcoming the translation of more than 80,000 Supreme Court judgments into 18 Indian languages and urging continued efforts at the High Court and district levels.

In closing, Modi urged all stakeholders in the legal and judicial ecosystem to contribute toward building a future justice system that aligns with India's aspiration of becoming a developed nation.

(KNN Bureau)

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