CJI: Absence of legal awareness root cause of rights' deprivation

Nagpur: Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Sunday said the absence of legal awareness was the "root cause" of "deception, exploitation and deprivation" of the rights and benefits of the masses. He also observed that "awareness" about ones' rights and the means of securing them are the "powerful instruments" to bring social and economic progress.

Addressing the valedictory function of the 17th All India Meet of State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) in Nagpur, the CJI said legal services must be constituted to "achieve distributed justice, effective implementation of welfare benefits and elimination of social and structural discrimination against the poor".

In his speech, he also underlined the importance of"legal literacy","technology and acccess" and the "impact and accountability" for delivering the quality legal services.

Justice Gogoi also said the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and State Legal Services Authorities are the "crucial vehicles" for discharging the Constitutional mandate of justice to all on the basis of equal opportunities.

"These bodies have to ensure through their methods that justice reaches the remotest corners of the country and the last person," said the CJI.

Emphasising the need for "legal literacy", Justice Gogoi said, "awareness of ones' rights and means of securing those rights are powerful instruments for bringing about social and economic progress. Absence of legal awareness is a root cause of deception, exploitation and deprivation of rights and benefits of the masses. Legal literacy and legal awarenessgo hand in hand". Justice Gogoi said the "legal aid movement" cannot achieve its goal until people are aware about their legal rights so as their basic rights. He said "greater awareness" translates into better and broader access.

The CJI observed that contemporary legal education is limited to universities training future lawyers and that it should go beyond awareness.