At the inaugural session of the Supreme Court Bar Association’s lecture series on “Justice for All – Legal Aid and Mediation: The Collaborative Role of Bar and Bench”, Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant voiced concern over the work ethic of certain High Court judges.

Justice Kant noted that while several judges work tirelessly as “torchbearers of justice,” some others show a “deeply disappointing” commitment. He urged such judges to engage in self-reflection:

“Before you rest your head on your pillow each night, ask yourself—how much public money was spent on me today? Have I repaid society for the trust placed in me?”

Highlighting delays in justice delivery, Justice Kant remarked that frequent adjournments and prolonged hearings contribute to a backlog, leaving “millions of citizens waiting for us to remember why we chose to serve justice in the first place.”

Access to Justice and Legal Aid

He underlined the paradox of justice being accessible mostly to the prosperous. Referring to soaring legal costs, procedural hurdles, and intimidating court environments, Justice Kant said:

“We have built temples of justice with doors too narrow for the very people they were meant to serve.”

Calling legal aid “constitutional oxygen essential for democracy’s survival,” he cited inspiring instances, including an elderly man who recovered his life savings through free legal services.

Justice Kant also recalled landmark rulings like M.H. Hoskot v. State of Maharashtra and Khatri v. State of Bihar that established equal justice and free legal aid under Article 39A of the Constitution. He further appreciated initiatives such as NALSA’s ‘Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana’, designed to assist defence personnel and their families facing legal challenges away from home.

Commending young advocates volunteering with the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, Justice Kant highlighted their role in assisting nearly 4600 convicts in need of legal representation. He urged senior lawyers to accept at least two additional pro bono cases each month, stressing:

“Systemic change begins with individual courage and collective action.”

Justice Kant emphasized mediation as an alternative to litigation, calling it a tool that preserves relationships and delivers faster results. Sharing his own experience of resolving a multi-crore dispute with a German bank through mediation, he noted:

“When mediation becomes culture, courts become sanctuaries of last resort rather than first response.”

He endorsed the “Mediation for the Nation” campaign and envisioned dedicated mediation centres in every district by 2030.

Ending his lecture with a powerful metaphor, Justice Kant said:

“Law is not a monument to be admired from afar—it is a living garden that requires constant tending. Legal aid plants seeds of hope in barren ground. Mediation nurtures understanding where conflict once grew. Let us be the generation that proves justice is not a privilege to be purchased, but a promise to be kept.”