Justice Gavai highlighted that the promise made under Article 39(A) of the Constitution, which ensures equal justice and free legal aid, can only be fulfilled through the sincere efforts of NALSA.
IEkta Nagar Gujarat: Supreme Court judge and Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Justice BR Gavai, stressed the importance of citizens being aware of their constitutional and legal rights.
Speaking at the Western Regional Conference and the celebration of 30 years of NALSA’s journey, Justice Gavai said that awareness is key for enforcement of rights.
“It is not enough to have rights. It is also necessary that the citizens must know their constitutional, statutory rights. Unless they are made aware of their rights, they will not come forward to enforce them,” said Justice Gavai during the inaugural ceremony at Ekta Nagar in Narmada district.
Justice Gavai highlighted that the promise made under Article 39(A) of the Constitution, which ensures equal justice and free legal aid, can only be fulfilled through the sincere efforts of NALSA. He pointed out that NALSA is working to reach out to the “last mile citizens of the country,” especially those who are often neglected.
He proudly shared that since he took charge as the Executive Chairman of NALSA around five-and-a-half months ago, the team has made great progress towards its goal.
“Dr Ambedkar considered the Constitution to be a weapon for bloodless revolution. And, therefore, NALSA, in a way, is a revolution so as to keep the promise of justice to the needy in reality. NALSA’s story is a story of quiet revolution of giving legal empowerment to the last mile citizens of the country,” Justice Gavai stated.
He also mentioned that NALSA is actively working to reduce overcrowding in prisons by focusing on the release of elderly and terminally ill prisoners.
“When we went to prisons immediately after I took over and went to Nagpur central prison, we identified the problems and immediately came out with the NALSA scheme for special provisions of easing out the crowd in the prisons. A special scheme for those who are aged and those facing terminal illness, we came up with a scheme for their release on bail,” he said.
Justice Gavai informed that NALSA has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court to seek the urgent release of aged and terminally ill undertrial prisoners.
Highlighting the role of Legal Aid Defence Counsel Volunteers, he said they have been providing efficient help to prisoners who are unable to afford legal services due to their socio-economic conditions.
He further shared that law students are being involved in NALSA’s activities through internship programmes. This initiative aims to instill in them the value of providing justice to all citizens right from their educational journey.
Justice Surya Kant, Supreme Court judge and Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, also addressed the gathering. He emphasised that NALSA has successfully changed people’s thinking — from seeing justice as charity to realising it as a fundamental right.
He said, “NALSA has removed the perception that justice was charity and has been successful in communicating to the people that it is their legal right.”
Speaking about the real essence of justice, Justice Surya Kant said, “The true measure of justice in a nation is not found in the grandeur of court buildings nor in the volumes of the statutory laws but in the sense of security and fairness felt by the poorest, the most marginalised, and the most voiceless.”
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Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he added, “I do remember Mahatma Gandhi’s words that ‘the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members’. It is reflected in how many of our fellow citizens live without fear, neglect, exploitation and fear of being unheard. I would put it this way that the measure of a nation’s justice is how many of its citizens never had to fear justice.”
During the conference, several new initiatives by NALSA were launched. The event was graced by prominent dignitaries, including Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Boren Vaishnav, Chairman of the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority.
