CJI: Grassroots officials have far deeper sense of local realities than most judges

NEW DELHI: It was a moment of redemption for bureaucrats, who often face criticism from the constitutional courts, as Chief Justice B R Gavai on Sunday said grassroots level government officials possess a far deeper understanding of local realities than many Supreme Court and high court judges operating from positions of authority. Speaking at the valedictory function of the two-day national conference of National Legal Aid Services Authority (NALSA), the Chief Justice of India said NALSA officials must strive to incorporate the views of grassroots activists and government functionaries while visualising plans to extend the benefits of legal aid to every citizen and ensure access to justice and protection of their rights. "Their daily engagement with people and problems gives them insights that no report or official file can fully capture.

It is therefore essential that we not only listen to them but actively seek their participation in our planning and decision-making processes," Justice Gavai said. Praising govt officials for their wholehearted support and cooperation in extending the reach of legal aid and ensuring that welfare scheme benefits reach the needy, the Chief Justice of India said judicial officers must embrace the spirit of humility, empathy, collaboration and service to be able to speak as part of the community rather than as judges, who are trained to remain aloof.

The CJI, CJI-designate and NALSA chairman Surya Kant and Justice Vikram Nath were one in saying that for every rupee spent on legal aid, the benefits must reach the targeted population. Legal aid is not an act of charity; it is an exercise in governance to ensure that the rule of law extends to every corner of the country, the CJI said. Justice Surya Kant said, "The notion of access to justice is not an abstract ideal but rather a sapient right that must be continuously nurtured through institutional strength, professional competence and compassionate engagement.

" On the future of legal aid through NALSA, State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), both Justices Kant and Nath quoted poet T S Eliot: "For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning." NALSA's future lies not merely in expanding its reach, but in deepening its impact through innovation, technology and empathetic association, Justice Surya Kant said. The event also saw the launch of the National Legal Aid Defence Counsel System, which would track every case taken up by NALSA, SLSA and DLSA and their progress.