Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Sunday emphasised the need for accessible, affordable and timely justice for all citizens while addressing the National Consultation 2026 on the Tele-Law initiative in New Delhi.
The consultation, organised under the Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA) scheme by the Ministry of Law and Justice, focused on strengthening citizen-centric legal services through technology.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice President said that access to justice is a cornerstone of democracy and must not remain a privilege for a select few. He highlighted that initiatives like Tele-Law can play a critical role in bridging the justice gap by making legal assistance more accessible, especially for rural and marginalised communities.
V-P Radhakrishnan also pointed to recent legal reforms, including the transition to new criminal laws, describing them as a historic step towards simplifying procedures and improving efficiency in the justice system.
Underscoring the role of technology, he cited initiatives such as Direct Benefit Transfer and telemedicine as examples of how digital tools can transform governance. He said Tele-Law, by providing pre-litigation legal advice, can help resolve disputes early, reduce unnecessary litigation and ease the burden on courts.
The Vice President stressed the importance of linguistic inclusion, calling for legal services to be made available in regional languages to ensure wider participation and understanding among citizens.
He outlined key priorities for the initiative, including inclusivity, quality, accountability and innovation with purpose. He also called for focused efforts to ensure last-mile delivery of legal services, particularly for women and underserved communities.
V-P Radhakrishnan commended para-legal volunteers, Common Service Centres and panel lawyers for their grassroots efforts in expanding access to justice. He also lauded the Ministry of Law and Justice for leveraging technology to build a more inclusive and responsive legal ecosystem.
During the event, the Vice President launched several initiatives aimed at enhancing legal awareness and outreach. These included the “Voice of Beneficiaries” Booklet 2025–26, an AI-powered chatbot ‘Nyaya Setu’ designed to connect citizens with legal services, a mascot to improve public engagement, and a series of legal awareness comic books developed in collaboration with National Law University, Delhi.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal and other dignitaries were also present at the event.
