Justice is only justice if it is accessible, visible, and rooted in human dignity, Supreme Court Judge Justice Surya Kant said on Saturday, cautioning that digitization without inclusion risks creating a ‘new face of inequality.’
Delivering the Justice RC Lahoti Memorial Lecture on ‘From Legislation to Liberation: Strengthening Legal Aid for the Marginalized in a Changing India’, Justice Surya Kant urged the adoption of a people-centric, technology-driven approach to secure genuine access to justice.
Justice Kant paid tribute to former Chief Justice Lahoti’s pioneering role in setting up the Supreme Court’s mediation committee and e-committee.
Justice Kant noted that while Article 39A mandates free legal aid, its promise remains ‘only partially fulfilled.’
He said: ‘Marginalised groups, including persons with disabilities, women, and children, continue to face barriers, compounded today by the digital divide.’
Justice Kant emphasised that mediators must know local languages and dialects to connect emotionally with litigants.
He cited the example of a daily wage worker in Bihar needing accessible, voice-based, multilingual legal tech tools.
Proposing innovations, Justice Kant advocated for multilingual, culturally inclusive digital platforms, virtual Lok Adalats, and ethically deployed AI to inform citizens of their rights and assess legal aid eligibility.
Former Chief Justice UU Lalit also attended the event.
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