PM Modi calls for reforms to ensure easy, affordable, accessible and speedy justice

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Saturday that the country should aspire to provide easy and affordable justice to the poor through steps like writing of laws in simpler language, promoting judicial functioning in local languages, using technology for speedy and accessible justice, encouraging mediation to reduce litigation, providing easy bail, and repealing archaic laws.

Addressing a joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts here, the Prime Minister said, “In 2047, when the country will complete 100 years of its independence, then what kind of judicial system would we like to see in the country? How do we make our judicial system so capable that it can fulfil the aspirations of India of 2047, these questions should be our priority today.” The goal should be to provide easy and speedy justice to all.

Modi rued that legal terminology is difficult to understand for the commoners and laws should be framed in a simpler language as well for the people. He said several nations have this provision and efforts are on to do so in India as well.


The Prime Minister said it is important to promote local languages in the courts so that people of the country feel connected with the judicial process and their faith in the same increases. The Supreme Court and high courts use only English and Hindi. In a lighter vein, Modi said that since Chief Justice of India NV Ramanna has also batted for the same, it should be taken note of.

He further maintained that just as technical and medical education is now increasingly being provided in the mother tongue, the same can be done for legal education. “Some states have already taken the initiative in this,” Modi said.

Human sensitivities should be kept at the centre of all deliberations on judicial reforms, the prime minister asserted. Referring to the delay in bail especially for the weaker sections, Modi said, “There are about 3.5 lakh prisoners in the country who are under-trial and are in jail. Most of these people are from poor or ordinary families.”

He appealed to the chief ministers and chief justices of the high courts to give priority to this issue “on the basis of humanitarian sensibility and law”. The Prime Minister underlined that there should be greater use of technology to reduce delay in justice delivery. He said Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has been deployed for case management and efforts to fill the vacancies at various levels of judiciary are underway. Use of technology in the judicial system is a part of the Digital India mission, Modi said. The E-courts project is being implemented today in mission mode while subjects like block-chains, electronic discovery, cybersecurity, robotics, AI and bioethics are being taught in law universities in many countries. “It is our responsibility that in our country also legal education should be according to these international standards,” he said.