SC primary medium of ease of justice, says PM

The ease of justice is the right of Indian citizens and the Supreme Court is the primary medium for achieving this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, imploring the top court to engage in capacity-building for all stakeholders so that the transition from old laws to the new regime can be seamless.

Inaugurating the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Supreme Court, the PM highlighted the government’s initiatives in abolishing the colonial-era criminal laws and introducing new legislation — the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Samhita, Bhartiya Nyaya Samhita, and Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.

These laws, which were cleared by Parliament last month but are yet to be notified, will replace the Indian Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act.

With the introduction of the new laws, the PM said India’s legal, policing, and investigative systems have entered a new era, signifying the government’s constant endeavour to modernise laws to align them with the present situation and best practices.

“Today’s economic policies will form the basis of tomorrow’s vibrant India... Laws that are being laid down today will strengthen the bright future of India... The transition from old laws to new ones should be seamless, which is imperative,” said Modi, citing the commencement of training and capacity-building initiatives for government officials to facilitate this transition.

READ | 'Ease of Justice right of citizens': PM Modi on Supreme Court's diamond jubilee

“I request the Supreme Court that it should come forward and engage in capacity-building for all stakeholders,” he said, and congratulated Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and all top court judges over the commencement of the diamond jubilee year of the Supreme Court’s inception on January 28, 1950.

The PM further emphasised the need for laws to reflect both Indian ethos and contemporary practices. “The convergence of Indian values and modernity is equally essential in our legal statute,” he said.

Mentioning the ease of living, ease of doing business, travel, communication and ease of justice as the nation’s top priorities, the PM highlighted that ease of justice is the right of every Indian citizen and the Supreme Court acts as the primary channel for this.

“The entire justice system in the country is administered and guided by the Supreme Court of India. It is our duty to ensure that the Supreme Court is accessible to the remotest part of the country so that all citizens can access it,” he added.

The framers of the Indian Constitution dreamt of an independent India with principles of liberty, equality and justice guiding it, said Modi, applauding the Supreme Court for continuously trying to preserve these principles.

“Whether it is freedom of expression, personal freedom or social justice, the Supreme Court has strengthened India’s vibrant democracy. The landmark judgments on individual rights and freedom of speech have given a new direction to the nation’s socio-political milieu,” he said.

Calling a robust justice system the cornerstone of Viksit Bharat (developed India), Modi said that his government has continuously made efforts to create a reliable legal framework. He cited the enactment of the Jan Vishwas Bill, that proposes to decriminalise 183 provisions in 42 central acts administered by 19 ministries or departments, and said that the law will reduce the number of pending cases, and alleviate unnecessary pressure from the judiciary.

He also mentioned the introduction of provisions for alternative dispute resolution through mediation, which he said has contributed to easing the burden, especially the subordinate judiciary.

At the ceremony, the PM launched three technology initiatives — Digital Supreme Court Reports (Digi SCR), Digital Courts 2.0 and a new website of the Supreme Court.

Digi SCR will make Supreme Court judgments available to people in electronic format for free, while the Digital Courts 2.0 application is meant for district court judges to access court records in an electronic format. The new Supreme Court website will be in bilingual (in English and Hindi) and has been redesigned with a user-friendly interface.

The PM also commended the top court for making judgments available in a digital format and initiating the project to translate its verdicts in regional languages.

Recalling how he favoured the drafting of laws in simple language for people to better understand, Modi suggested a similar approach should be adopted in drafting court judgments and orders.

The PM congratulated CJI Chandrachud for his efficient monitoring of the digitization of all courts in the country as Modi said his government is committed to improving the infrastructure of the courts. The PM spoke about approving the third phase of the e-Courts mission project aimed at digitisation of court records and envisages several other technological advancements. He added that the fund allocation for the third phase has been increased four times more than the project’s second phase.

Acknowledging the space constraints in the current Supreme Court building, PM Modi informed the gathering about last week’s approval of ₹800 crore for the expansion of the Supreme Court building complex. Since 2014, Modi said, his government has disbursed more than ₹7,000 crore for the upgradation of physical infrastructure of the courts.

The PM concluded by acknowledging the significant role the Supreme Court will play in shaping the country’s future over the next 25 years and congratulated the institution on its 75th anniversary. He also the mentioned Padma Bhushan being conferred posthumously to M Fathima Beevi — the first woman judge of the top court, calling it a matter of pride.