Venkatapathy says, need for speedy justice to women

Minister of State for Law and Justice K. Venkatapathy has said that all concerned agencies should take special care to ensure speedy justice for women. Delivering his address at the “National Conclave of North Eastern States on Access to Justice to Women of the Region” Shri Venkatapathy said, in this context, the role of law as an instrument of justice dispensation for the aggrieved assumes significance. The Minister said, the Constitution of India has assured to each citizen political social and economic justice. However, assurance of political justice is of no substance if the citizens are perpetually denied of their social or economic rights. Social Justice would be a hollow proposition, if it were not accompanied by just distribution of economic resources with equitable access to the opportunities to people. He said, legislatures at the national and State level have contributed by creating a plethora of laws in the realm of social welfare. Statutory declarations alone do create rights but they have to be followed up by the executive who is duty-bound to enforce those rights and make them meaningful. In order to dispense justice to people, we will need to have harmonious relationship between the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature and Convergence of the multi sectoral schemes created for citizens’ welfare. Since independence, India has taken successful strides in almost all walks of life. Yet the promises of equality, liberty and justice to everyone remain mostly a dream for the masses. The Minister said, it is a matter of great satisfaction that the concept of legal aid and advice has now been evolved and recognized as a statutorily guaranteed right to “legal service”. Shri Venkatapathy said, judicial pronouncements have only reinforced the view of evolving the right to free legal aid services as an essential element of “reasonable, fair and just procedure” vis-à-vis the poor and needy. Steps need to be taken to spread awareness of the legal provisions and institutions, which can render necessary help to in securing these rights. Laws must be simplified so that ordinary persons understand them better. The objectives of the National Legal Literacy Mission must be taken forward with great speed. It is important to ensure that the people have the ability to approach a legal institution and claim the enforcement of a right. An institution must make procedures as simple as possible for persons to gain access to it. The institution must ensure that the remedy it is able to offer in fact reaches those who need it most. The Minister suggested the undernoted ways that can be adopted to achieve Conclave Objectives: o Strengthening the State and District Legal Services Authorities o Establishing Taluka Legal Aid Libraries o Simplifying the language of Law o Permanent Lok Adalats in all departments and ministries o People’s participation in administration of Justice o Augmentation of Fast Track Courts o Establishing Mediation and Conciliation Centres for Women at each Taluka o Establishing Alternate Dispute Redressal Mechanisms at the Courts o Establishing Family Courts, Parvarik Lok Adalats in every village o Mobile Legal Literacy Campaigns at the Grassroot

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