Justice should be simple and lucid, says PM Modi

Judiciary has consistently played the moral responsibility of being vigilant and active on national issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during the concluding ceremony of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Rajasthan high court in Jodhpur on Sunday.

Modi said that the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir presents a perfect example of India’s integration. He also mentioned the “humanitarian law” of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said that the court’s decisions have clarified their stand on natural justice. He underlined that the Supreme Court and the high courts have strengthened the resolve of ‘nation first’.

Highlighting the historical context of the Rajasthan high court, Modi mentioned its connection to India’s unity, brought together under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s efforts. He said that the various princely states of Rajasthan, such as Jaipur, Udaipur, and Kota, had their own high courts before being integrated into the Rajasthan high court. “National unity is the foundational stone of India’s judicial system and strengthening it will further strengthen the nation and its systems,” he said.

Modi stressed the importance of simplifying justice, saying, “Justice is simple and lucid, however, at times the procedures make it complex. It is our collective responsibility to make all efforts to make justice as simple and lucid as possible.” He expressed satisfaction with the multiple historic and crucial efforts made in this direction, including the repeal of many irrelevant colonial laws.

Addressing the shift from colonial laws, Modi said, “India, after decades of independence, emerging out of the colonial mindset, had adopted the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, replacing the Indian Penal Code. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita liberates our democracy from the colonial mindset. It is now our responsibility to make the spirit of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as effective as possible.”

Modi also reflected on the rapid transformation of the nation in the past decade, citing India’s rise to the 5th largest economy in the world from the 10th position. “Today, India’s dreams are big, and the citizen’s aspirations are higher,” he said, underlining the need for new innovations and modernisation to meet the needs of New India. He highlighted the role of technology in revolutionising the judicial system, mentioning that more than 18,000 courts have been computerised, and over 26 crore court matters are now available on a centralised online platform through the National Judicial Data Grid.

Speaking on the importance of alternative dispute resolution, Modi said, “Alternate Dispute Resolution has become an important way for cost-effective and quick decisions in the country today. This system will promote Ease of Living as well as Ease of Justice.” He added that the government had taken several steps in this direction, and with the judiciary’s support, these systems would become more robust.

He emphasised the judiciary’s long-standing advocacy for a Secular Civil Code, expressing confidence that the courts’ stance on national unity would continue to inspire trust among the citizens.

The ceremony was also attended by Union minister of state for law, Arjun Ram Meghwal, who praised the Supreme Court’s initiative to make judgments available in regional languages, stressing that access to justice is every citizen’s right. Supreme Court judge, justice Sanjiv Khanna, Rajasthan chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma, and chief justice of the Rajasthan high court Manindra Mohan Srivastava also addressed the gathering. Before his speech, Modi inaugurated a museum on the High Court premises.