NALSA Concludes North Zone Regional Conference On 'Enhancing Access To Justice' In Dehradun; Key Deliberations On Inclusive Justice Delivery

The Conference saw participation from States and Union Territories across the North Zone, including Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, reflecting diverse regional representation and a shared commitment to strengthening access to justice.

The programme was graced by Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.), Governor of Uttarakhand. It was also attended by Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India & Patron-in-Chief, NALSA; Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand; Justice Vikram Nath, Judge, Supreme Court of India & Executive Chairman, NALSA; Justice S.V. Bhatti and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Judges of the Supreme Court of India; Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Law and Justice and Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta, Judge, High Court of Uttarakhand & Executive Chairman, UKSLSA. The programme was also attended by Chief Justices, Executive Chairpersons of SLSAs, Judges of participating High Courts, officers of SLSAs and members of the District Judiciary.

Delivering the keynote address, Justice Surya Kant observed that the real barrier to justice lies not in the absence of laws but in the gap between rights and their accessibility. He emphasised that access to justice must move beyond formal legal entitlements and be grounded in the lived realities of citizens, particularly those at the margins. He highlighted NALSA's expanding outreach in remote regions and described such initiatives as platforms for “constitutional listening.”

Justice Vikram Nath stated that access to justice must evolve beyond physical access to courts and be defined by reach, awareness and trust. He referred to initiatives such as the Nyaya Portal, best practices documentation and Mobile Utility Vehicles, and commended grassroots innovations like the “One Village, One PLV” model of Uttarakhand.

The Governor emphasised that justice must be timely, affordable and accessible even in remote regions, cautioning that delays erode public trust. The Chief Minister stressed the need to ensure timely justice to the last person. The Minister of State highlighted the transformative impact of sustained grassroots legal aid efforts.

Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta underscored the need for mandatory victim support mechanisms in line with Laxmi v. Union of India and highlighted NALSA's focus on women- and child-centric legal aid initiatives. Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari delivered the vote of thanks.

During the session, the UKSLSA's Nyay-Mitra Portal was launched by Justice Surya Kant, and an E-Booklet on Best Practices & Legal Aid Initiatives was released by Justice Vikram Nath. The Governor also inaugurated Anti-Drug Units in schools in Uttarakhand. Multi Utility Vehicles were flagged off to strengthen last-mile outreach of legal services institutions.

The second day featured two thematic technical sessions.

The third technical session on “Justice for Acid Attack Survivors: Compensation, Rehabilitation & Dignity-Centric Support” was chaired by Justice S.V. Bhatti, with Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya as Co-Chair. It featured Laxmi Agarwal and Dr. Navpreet Kaur. The session emphasised a humane and victim-centric approach, focusing on rehabilitation, enforceable rights relating to compensation and medical care, and coordinated institutional support.

The fourth technical session on “Strengthening Legal Protection & Support Systems for Women and Children” was chaired by Justice Vikram Nath, with Justice Sanjeev Kumar as Co-Chair, and featured Manju Dhaundiyal and Sampurna Behura. The deliberations focused on strengthening legal frameworks, addressing implementation gaps and ensuring coordinated institutional support.

The Conference reiterated that access to justice is not merely the availability of legal remedies but also a function of awareness, accessibility, responsiveness and trust. It concluded with a shared commitment to advancing inclusive, innovative and people-centric approaches to justice delivery.