4 min readJun 22, 2026 06:30 AM IST
First published on: Jun 22, 2026 at 06:30 AM IST
Justice has always been a vital and integral pillar of human civilisation. Judicial institutions have served as the bridge that enables every stakeholder to develop a sense of trust, belonging, and association with the larger pursuit of justice and collective good. This necessitates the creation of a robust justice ecosystem — one that not only ensures access to justice but also facilitates ease of living for every citizen.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the governance paradigm has facilitated ease of living through a bottom-up approach while implementing a nation-first approach from the top down. Judicial reforms have encompassed legislative modernisation, institutional strengthening and digital innovation. The mantra ‘ease of justice’ incorporates ease of engagement for litigants, ease of working for advocates and judges, and ease of understanding for citizens.
From the litigant’s perspective, services like Tele-Law and Nyaya Bandhu to promote pro-bono work under the Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice scheme have made justice delivery accessible and affordable. More than 11.2 million beneficiaries from rural and remote areas have benefitted from free pre-litigation legal consultations under Tele-Law. E-filing services and e-Seva Kendras have eased the litigant’s interactions with the judicial ecosystem.
For advocates and judges, a push to upgrade both digital and physical infrastructure has enhanced the ease of working. As the subordinate judiciary serves as the first point of contact for the vast majority, strengthening it is an imperative. The number of court halls has increased from 15,818 in 2014 to 22,712, supported by the disbursal of Rs 9,400.40 crore since 2014 for the development of state-of-the-art integrated court complexes. Further, the e-Courts Phase-III project seeks to transform courts into end-to-end digital, paperless, and AI-enabled institutions of justice delivery. Initiatives like videoconferencing, virtual courts, and livestreaming court proceedings have brought the judiciary closer to the people.
Ease of understanding for citizens is an essential pillar of the broader ease of justice framework, particularly in a linguistically diverse country like India. AI-powered natural language processing tools such as the Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software and Bhashini are translating SC judgments and orders into 18 Indian languages. The National Judicial Data Grid provides single-click access to the analysis of information relating to over 340 million court orders.
The new criminal laws have incorporated contemporary realities. The integration of e-courts, e-prosecution, e-prisons, and e-forensics with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems is a transformative step. The Nyaya Shruti platform is facilitating virtual appearances and the recording of witness testimonies so efficiently that when a court grants bail to a citizen, the digital bail order immediately reaches the prison portal, eliminating the delays that traditionally hindered timely release.
The sanctioned strength of high court judges has increased from 906 in 2014 to 1122; that of the Supreme Court was increased from 31 to 34 in 2019, and has now been raised to 38. The appointment of 1,175 high court judges and 77 Supreme Court judges from diverse backgrounds in the past 12 years reflects the executive’s commitment to strengthening the judicial ecosystem.
Reducing more than 40,000 compliances and repealing 1,725 redundant and obsolete colonial-era laws has contributed to the ease of doing business. Strengthening arbitration law, setting up institutions like the India International Arbitration Centre, and promoting mediation through the dedicated Mediation Act, 2023 reflect India’s global leadership in alternative dispute resolution. India’s leadership ensured the adoption of the Gandhinagar Declaration, a collective commitment to strengthening mediation and arbitration, at the BRICS justice ministers’ meeting in 2026.
As India advances towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, we remain steadfast in our commitment to building a future-ready justice system — one that is resilient, innovative, inclusive, and inspired by the collective aspirations of 140 crore Indians.
The writer is Minister of State for Law and Justice (I/C) and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India
Ease of understanding for citizens is an essential pillar of the broader ease of justice framework, particularly in a linguistically diverse country like India. 
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