NALSA Concludes Two-Day West Zone Regional Conference On "Enhancing Access To Justice" In Indore
The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (MPSLSA), concluded its two-day West Zone Regional Conference on "Enhancing Access to Justice" in Indore on August 9. Held under the theme "United Voices, Stronger Tomorrow: Advancing Access to Justice through Dialogue, Dignity & Inclusion," the conference brought together judges, constitutional authorities, legal services institutions and other stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening access to justice through inclusive and people-centric approaches.
The inaugural session on August 8 was graced by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Patron-in-Chief, NALSA, who delivered the keynote address. The programme was also attended by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, Supreme Court Judge and NALSA Executive Chairman Justice Vikram Nath, Supreme Court Judge Justice Manmohan, Acting Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court Justice Vivek Rusia, Patron-in-Chief, MPSLSA, and Madhya Pradesh High Court Judge Justice Vivek Agarwal.
Welcoming the gathering, Justice Vivek Rusia described Indore as the karmabhoomi of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar and India's cleanest city. He said justice flourishes when institutions work with a unified purpose, dialogue replaces division, human dignity remains central, and inclusion ensures that no individual is left unheard or behind. He also highlighted MPSLSA's initiatives, including pre-litigation community mediation, Special Jail Lok Adalats and sign-language mediation training.
Delivering the opening address, Arjun Ram Meghwal described India as the "Mother of Democracy" rooted in the Rule of Law, natural justice and consensus-building. Referring to Article 39A of the Constitution, he said making "Ease of Justice" a national mission alongside Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business is essential to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 through technology-enabled and citizen-centric governance.
In his keynote address, Chief Justice Surya Kant said dialogue, dignity and inclusion must define an effective legal aid system. He observed that access to justice cannot be built by laws alone and stressed the need to communicate in the language of ordinary people while understanding local realities. He urged Para-Legal Volunteers to serve as dedicated social healers within their communities.
Justice Vikram Nath, in his special address, said legal services institutions must proactively ensure that the protections guaranteed by law reach every citizen and that their success should be measured by their utility to the poorest and weakest sections of society. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav recalled the governance of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar and reaffirmed the State's commitment to accessible, swift and citizen-centric justice, while Justice Manmohan highlighted the role of mediation in preserving human relationships and emphasised the need to remove structural barriers to legal aid.
The inaugural session also witnessed the launch of several legal aid initiatives, including the NALSA Scheme on Right to Education (SHIKSHA), the NALSA Theme Song Video in Indian Sign Language (ISL), the Hindi edition of NALSA Schemes, SPARSH—A Braille Guide to NALSA Schemes, the admission portal for the Certificate Course on Mediation, the "Justice for Children: Fellowship Programme" and "Nyay Ke Swar."
The conference featured four thematic technical sessions focusing on mediation, access to justice for tribal communities, child-friendly justice and rehabilitation of prisoners. The sessions were chaired by Supreme Court Judges Justice Manmohan, Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Vikram Nath, along with Co-Chairs Justice Sheel Nagu, Justice Alok Aradhe, Justice P. Sam Koshy and Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha, respectively. Discussions centred on strengthening pre-litigation mediation, implementation of the Forest Rights Act and the NALSA (SAMVAD) Scheme, 2025, promoting child-sensitive justice through initiatives such as "Shaurya Didi" and "Mission Bal Suraksha", and advancing rehabilitative approaches for prisoners through measures including Open Jails, the NALSA SPRUHA Scheme, 2025, the Probation of Offenders Act and enhanced legal aid support.
Delivering the concluding remarks, Justice Vikram Nath emphasised the philosophy of "hate the sin and not the sinner," stressing that justice must move towards rehabilitation, skill development and reintegration of prisoners into society. He also commended the Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) and called for active support from civil society, observing that the true measure of justice lies in ensuring continuous support and dignity for marginalised individuals and their families.
The conference concluded with a shared commitment to advancing innovative, inclusive and people-centric approaches to justice delivery. The deliberations reiterated that access to justice is not merely the availability of legal remedies but also depends on awareness, accessibility, responsiveness and trust, while emphasising the role of Legal Services Authorities in ensuring meaningful justice delivery to the most vulnerable sections of society.