PM exhorts law graduates to commit to Lok Adalats, Sab ka Nyay

Appreciating the more than 8.5 crore cases settled by Lok Adalats since the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted on December 5, 1995, Modi said they should be part of research projects for students in the national law universities so that they understand their functioning during the course of their education.

Speaking at the foundation day celebration of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) with CJI-designate Justice TS Thakur in attendance, Modi also gave a new slogan “Sabka Nyay” (Justice for All) stressing that ensuring justice to poor was very important for India’s overall development.

PM praised the inclusive role of lok adalats in accommodating and providing justice to the most marginalised sections of society, such as transgenders. Gowda also suggested that an assessment be carried out as to how numerous 26 crore pending cases are those requiring legal aid.

No institution can remain static, according to Modi. Government will have to change their points of view. “There is a need to change the way we think-old things are best and that is why we will not lay our hands on them is not the way”, the prime minister said. The government will support Nalsa’s effort to ensure justice to poor.

“It will call it Sab ka saath, Sab ka vikas, and Sab ka nyay (cooperation of all, development of all, and justice for all)”, he said.

Without referring to the serious political reverses for the NDA in Bihar, he emphasised the need to reform and aggressively expand services of “lok adalats” to take administering justice to people’s doorstep.

Justice Thakur highlighted the role played by NALSA in eliminating burden of arrears in Courts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed a conference for Legal Services Day and stressed the importance of legal institutions in the country. They should submit reports and give their suggestions.

The PM said a huge section of people do not have the courage to approach courts for whom such “out of box solutions” like Lok Adalats serves enormous good. “No system, no polity, no society can survive where you don’t not ensure justice…”, he said. “But if we say there has been fulfilment, then there will be stagnation”, he said.

Incidentally, it was on NALSA’s PIL that the Supreme Court had directed the government to treat transgenders as a socially and educationally backward class, entitled to quotas – just like OBCs – in educational institutions and for public appointments. On this occasion, NALSA Awards were also conferred to the members of legal fraternity from across the country for taking unique and creative initiatives for ensuring fair justice to those who need it.

In January this year, a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu agreed to examine the objections and issued notices to NALSA and all state governments.