Limited access to justice biggest challenge, says CJI

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday said the greatest challenge facing the country’s legal system is not a dearth of laws, but rather the limited access that ordinary citizens have to them.

Emphasising the urgent need to bridge the gap between legal rights and their practical availability, the CJI noted that while India possesses a robust framework of rights and policies, these benefits often fail to reach the needy due to issues of distance, delay, and implementation gaps.

The CJI was addressing a two-day North Zone Regional Conference, titled ‘Justice Beyond Barriers: Rights, Rehabilitation, and Reform for the Most Vulnerable’, organised jointly by the National Legal Services Authority, the Uttarakhand High Court, and the Uttarakhand State Legal Services Authority.

He remarked, “The mere existence of justice is not sufficient. Rather, it must reach the doorstep of every last citizen in a timely manner.”