Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice and Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), today underscored the need to create a people-centric and empathetic justice delivery system.
He delivered the Welcome Address at the inaugural session of the two-day National Conference on “Strengthening Legal Aid Delivery Mechanisms.” NALSA organised the event at the Supreme Court of India
Justice Surya Kant said the true measure of India’s justice system lies in “how deeply it touches the lives of ordinary citizens.”
He called legal aid the bridge between constitutional ideals and tangible relief for the “invisible victims of the system.”
He noted that legal aid transforms the constitutional value of equality into action by providing free and effective assistance to those unable to access justice.
“The purpose of legal aid,” he said, “is not charity but empowerment. It ensures that justice does not remain a distant promise but a living reality.”
Justice Kant highlighted the significant achievements of NALSA in recent years.
He said that millions of citizens had resolved disputes through Lok Adalats and pre-litigation mechanisms, avoiding years of costly and exhausting court battles.
He praised the contributions of panel lawyers and paralegal volunteers, describing them as “the soldiers of the legal aid movement.”
Justice Kant urged the legal fraternity to strengthen institutional capacity through training, collaboration, and innovation.
“We must build a system that is not only legally sound but emotionally sensitive,” he said.
Justice Kant also discussed the growing role of technology in delivering legal aid.
He said digital tools such as online legal aid clinics, mobile apps, and tele-law platforms had expanded access but warned that “technology must remain rooted in human empathy.”
Justice Kant stressed that digital justice delivery should respect local languages, customs, and the socio-economic context of each region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the conference, which was attended by Chief Justice of India Justice BR Gavai.
It will deliberate on themes such as the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System, capacity building, and strengthening Permanent Lok Adalats.
The two-day event also marks the celebration of Legal Services Day 2025.
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