Legal Language Must Be Simplified; Common Man Should Feel Law Is His Own : Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an address at the inauguration of the Bar Council of India International Lawyers' Conference 2023. The two-day international conference features inaugral ceremony, ten technical sessions aimed at knowledge sharing, and a valedictory session. The theme of the conference is, ‘Emerging challenges in Justice Delivery System’.

In his address, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of simplifying legal language and enhancing accessibility to justice for the common man. Highlighting the often-overlooked aspect of language and simplicity in law, he pointed out that there are two ways of presenting laws: one by the language familiar to legal professionals and another by the language understood by the common man. He stressed the importance of making the law accessible and relatable to every citizen so that they feel a sense of ownership over it. 

The Prime Minister underscored the critical role that the language of laws plays in making justice accessible to all. He noted that in the past, legal drafting was overly complex, which created barriers for the common man. He expressed the government's commitment to finding solutions to simplify the language used in laws. He also commended Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud for the initiative to provide operative parts of judgments in a language the litigant can understand.

Drawing an analogy, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that just as a doctor should communicate with a patient in language they understand for better healing, the legal system should communicate with the common man in a way that makes them feel a sense of ownership and understanding of the law.

"The common man should feel that the law is his own. We are trying to find a solution to that. The language in which laws are written- plays a huge role in accessibility of justice," he said.

The Prime Minister in his address also stated that the International Lawyers' Conference was a symbol of Bharat's spirit of "Vasudev Kutumbakam," emphasizing the nation's openness to the world and India's age-old philosophy of considering the world as one family. He paid tribute to the legal fraternity's significant role in India's fight for independence. He highlighted that many lawyers abandoned their legal practices to join the independence movement.

The Prime Minister then emphasized the pivotal role played by an independent judiciary in shaping the world's perception of India. He attributed India's growing global reputation, in part, to its independent judiciary.

Further, PM Modi celebrated recent achievements and initiatives in India, including the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill, which provides women with 33% reservations, and India's historic achievement in reaching the South Pole of the moon. He reiterated India's commitment to becoming a developed nation by 2047 and highlighted the critical importance of an unbiased, strong, and independent judiciary in realizing this vision.

PM Modi underscored the need for global collaboration to address challenges that transcend borders and jurisdictions. He cited examples like cyber terrorism, money laundering, artificial intelligence and its misuse, emphasizing the necessity for a global framework to address these issues. He drew a parallel with international cooperation in air traffic control and called for similar global frameworks in various domains.

Finally, he spoke of alternate dispute resolution mechanisms and in that context, India's historical use of Panchayats (local self-governing bodies) and the passage of a mediation bill to formalize such methods.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Attorney General for India R Venkataramani, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also spoke at the event.