Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana has termed access to justice “a tool for social emancipation” and said that only a small percentage of the population could approach courts while the majority suffers in silence.
N V Ramana addressing the first All India District Legal Services Authorities Meet in New Delhi urged the judiciary “to use modern technological tools to enhance the pace of justice delivery”.
“Justice: Social, Economic and Political are the vision of justice that our Preamble promises to every Indian. The reality is, today, only a small percentage of our population can approach the justice delivery system, when in need,” he said.
The CJI said one of the most important aspects which call for active consideration and intervention of the legal services authorities in the country was the condition of under trials.
He said that India, the second most populous country in the world with an average age of 29 years, had a large workforce. “However, skilled workers are estimated to be only three percent of our total workforce. We need to harness the full potential of the youthful demographic profile of our country. With the western world increasingly falling short of skilled human resources, it is India’s turn to fill the gap, globally,” the CJI said.
He termed the district judiciary the backbone of the justice delivery system of India.—INP
