“Citizens should feel that law belongs to them”: PM Modi at International Lawyers’ Conference

Noting that the judiciary and the bar have been the guardians of India’s judicial system and lawyers played a key role during the freedom struggle, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid thrust on the simplicity of language in the legal profession for benefit of people.
The Prime Minister, who inaugurated the ‘International Lawyers’ Conference 2023’  here, said that citizens should feel that the law belongs to them.
He laid thrust on the need for strong, independent and unbiased foundations for the legal system in India to achieve the goal of a developed nation.
PM Modi said that the Government is making an effort to draft new laws in simple language and gave the example of the Data Protection Law.
He talked about the discussion regarding presenting any law in two languages – one to which the legal system is accustomed and another for common citizens.
The Prime Minister congratulated the Supreme Court for making arrangements to get its judgments translated into four languages – Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati and Odiya – and hailed the monumental change in the judicial system of India.
He said new technological advancements should be leveraged by the legal profession.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal were among those present at the event.
In his remarks, CJI Chandrachud said people in the judiciary can learn from different jurisdictions, perspectives, and most importantly from each other.
“Over the next two days, we will witness some of the best minds including judges from across the globe, my own colleagues from the Supreme Court and several High Courts, global practitioners, and legal scholars,” the CJI said.
“It is utopian to think that there will be a day when we will find perfect solutions and no challenge to justice delivery. However, it is not utopian to aspire to a world where nations, institutions, and most importantly individuals are open to engaging with one another,” he added.
The two-day International Lawyers’ Conference 2023 is being organised by the Bar Council of India on the theme ‘Emerging Challenges in Justice Delivery System’.
The conference aims to serve as a platform for meaningful dialogue and discussion on various legal topics of national and international importance, foster the exchange of ideas and experiences, and strengthen international cooperation and understanding of legal issues.
The conference, which is being organized for the first time in the country, will discuss topics such as emerging legal trends, challenges in cross-border litigation, legal technology and environmental law. The programme witnessed the participation of distinguished judges, legal professionals, and leaders of the global legal fraternity.