Legal Aid Not Merely Act Of Charity But Moral Duty: Chief Justice BR Gavai

Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Sunday said that legal aid is not merely an act of charity but a moral duty, and those engaged in the legal aid movement must approach their role with an administrative imagination to ensure the rule of law extends to every corner of the country.

Speaking at the valedictory function of the national conference on 'Strengthening Legal Aid Delivery Mechanisms' and celebration of 'Legal Services Day', CJI Gavai suggested the creation of an advisory committee at NALSA and SLSAs, respectively, comprising the current executive chairpersons and two or three future executive heads to ensure continuity in policy planning.

"At the same time, those engaged in the legal aid movement, whether officers, administrators, or volunteers, must approach their role with an administrative imagination. Legal aid is not merely an act of charity but a moral duty. It is an exercise in governance, in ensuring that the rule of law extends to every corner of our country," he said.

The CJI further said they must think like administrators of justice, planning, coordinating, and innovating to make sure that every rupee spent, every visit made, and every intervention carried out truly uplifts someone in need.

Gavai expressed the need for legal services authorities to conceptualise and execute their efforts with a long-term institutional vision. Currently, he noted, priorities are often determined by the tenure of individual executive chairpersons, each of whom has a limited timeframe to implement initiatives.

While this brings diversity of ideas, it also makes continuity and sustained implementation a challenge, he said in the programme organised by NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) to mark its 30th year.

"To address this, I suggest the creation of an advisory committee at NALSA and SLSAs, respectively, comprising the current executive chairpersons and two or three future or incoming executive chairpersons. This committee could meet quarterly or every six months to discuss and oversee projects with a long-term perspective," he said in the programme, which was also attended by CJI designate Surya Kant, Justice Vikram Nath and other top court and high court judges.

CJI Gavai, who is set to demit office on November 23, said when he was the executive chairman of NALSA, his colleagues Justice Surya Kant and Justice Vikram Nath worked together, travelled together in different parts of the country.

"Such an arrangement would help institutionalise vision-based planning and ensure that key programmes, whether related to access to justice, awareness, or digital transformation, are carried forward consistently, regardless of administrative changes. It would also promote a collaborative culture among legal services authorities, allowing for collective decision-making and shared accountability," he said.

He added that while the individuals leading these institutions may change, the constitutional mandate to secure justice for every citizen remains constant. A sustained, coordinated, and forward-looking approach is essential to strengthen both the reach and resilience of the legal aid movement, the CJI emphasised.

He added, "Before I demit my office in two weeks, I would like to leave a message for all the judicial officers who come on deputation to the legal services authorities. Judicial training often teaches us to maintain a certain distance, to weigh evidence dispassionately, and to apply reasoned judgment. But the work of legal aid demands the opposite sensibility: it requires empathy, collaboration, and the ability to see beyond procedure into the conditions that produce injustice.

"When serving in legal service institutions, our role is not to adjudicate but to connect, to coordinate with officials from government departments, to build partnerships with civil society organisations, and to reach out to citizens with compassion and clarity," he said.

The CJI pointed out that wherever he has gone, he has seen that government officials are very cooperative in promoting legal aid and ensuring the benefits of the government scheme reach the needy.

Calling for the treatment of volunteers and legal aid counsel with dignity and respect, CJI Gavai said the sustainability and success of the legal aid movement depend on these dedicated individuals.

He said, "In conclusion, I would like to say that the past three decades have shown that when compassion meets commitment, and when law meets human experience, real transformation becomes possible. Yet, this journey is far from complete. Every citizen who still feels unheard or unrepresented reminds us of the distance we must still travel." He added that the task, therefore, is not only to sustain what has been built but to envision what more can be done.

The CJI called for deepening collaboration between the judiciary, the executive, and civil society, harnessing technology without losing the human touch, and measuring progress not merely in numbers but in the dignity restored to those who are served.

"The legal aid movement stands as one of the finest expressions of our Constitution's soul, as a bridge between the letter of law and the lived realities of people," he said. 

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