CJI-Designate Justice Surya Kant said, “Legal aid is where constitutional design meets reality and its availability must be made easier,” emphasising that true justice can be achieved only when legal assistance is accessible to every citizen equally.
Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant emphasized the need to simplify access to legal aid while highlighting that technology should be complemented by local knowledge, language accessibility, and human empathy.
In his welcome address at a national conference aimed at enhancing legal-aid delivery systems, Justice Kant remarked that the effectiveness of a justice system is not measured by how quickly it resolves complex cases, but by its impact on the lives of everyday citizens.
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The CJI designate stated,
“Looking ahead, we must make legal help easier to obtain. That demands both administrative reforms and humane practice. Technology does offer real opportunities like remote clinics, online conciliations, and digital complaint portals, but technology alone will not suffice. It must be guided by local knowledge, linguistic accessibility, and human empathy,”
He reiterated that the true measure of a justice system lies in its ability to deeply affect ordinary lives rather than merely expedite legal processes.
He added,
“It celebrates the partnership between those who interpret the law, those who implement it, and those who carry its light to the farthest corners of our country. When our Constitution was framed, the goal was not just to create a legal order, but to nurture an instrument that secures fairness, human dignity, and equal protection for all. Legal aid is where that design meets reality,”
Justice Kant pointed out that countless individuals have avoided protracted litigation through conciliatory forums, many have received free representation, numerous victims have obtained statutory compensation, and thousands have resolved disputes through mediation each instance translating legal principles into tangible relief and stability for everyday lives.
He noted,
“These are not mere numbers; they are the people whose problems were met with practical help,”
He mentioned that the legal-aid movement has expanded its reach in recent years, with initiatives focusing on rehabilitation in prisons instead of solely punishment, supporting families of defense personnel, institutionalizing mediation, and addressing the needs of communities affected by human-wildlife conflicts.
He explained,
“This mission requires shared ownership. Judges, lawyers, legal educators, law students, para-legal volunteers, community groups, and civil society all have distinct roles and act as bridges between digital tools and the needs of citizens,”
Justice Kant concluded that enhancing legal aid is not just about increasing institutional capacity but also about simplifying the process for individuals in distress to access legal protection.
He asserted,
“Our endeavor is to design systems that respond with speed, clarity, and compassion, to make justice truly affordable, understandable, and reachable to people wherever they are,”
The Supreme Court of India is set to witness a new post as Justice Surya Kant takes oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on November 24, 2025. Known for his constitutional clarity, empathy toward social justice, and insistence on institutional accountability, Justice Kant’s elevation marks the rise of a jurist deeply rooted in both principle and pragmatism.
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