Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated NALSA’s two-day conference at the Supreme Court and said ease of living and business depends on timely, accessible justice.
- He launched NALSA’s Community Mediation Training Module, framing it as a modern expansion of India’s mediation tradition under the new Mediation Act.
- Modi said legal-aid mechanisms have resolved about eight lakh criminal cases in three years under the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System, with Lok Adalats and pre-litigation forums settling lakhs more disputes.
- The government highlighted technology and language reforms, noting over ₹7,000 crore for e-Courts Phase 3, the Supreme Court’s translation of 80,000+ judgments into 18 languages, and Tele-Law’s pre-litigation advice to more than one crore people.
- Marking NALSA’s 30th year, the conference will review strengthening delivery through defence counsel, panel lawyers, paralegal volunteers, permanent Lok Adalats and financing, as CJI B.R. Gavai urged a proactive, humane legal-aid movement.