Judgments Must Be Simple Enough for Citizens to Understand: CJI Surya Kant Warns Against 'Excessive Legal Jargon':

Inaugurating the West Zone Regional Conference on Saturday, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant urged the judiciary to consciously prune "excessive legal jargon" that creates a distance between justice and its stakeholders, asserting that judgments must be written in clear and accessible language.

Delivering the keynote address, the CJI warned that justice, if "unreadable or obscure," risks losing its meaning for the very people it seeks to serve. He emphasized that judgments are not merely "academic analyses" but authoritative statements determining rights and obligations; when they vary widely in structure or language, their essence becomes difficult for citizens to grasp.

The Plight of the Litigant

To illustrate the disconnect caused by complex legal writing, the Chief Justice shared the plight of litigants who, despite receiving orders in their favour, remained unsure of the relief they had actually secured. He noted that this confusion arose because the language used in the orders was "too technical, vague or evasive to understand".

"Uniformity in judicial expression is about ensuring that decisions are intelligible, reliable and capable of commanding public trust," the CJI stated. He called for a unified approach involving concise reasoning and formats that present operative directions prominently.

Technology as a Tool for Simplicity

While discussing the role of technology under the vision of a "Unified Judicial Policy," the CJI argued that the true measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software deployed, but "the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served".

He highlighted that emerging tools can now perform functions such as simplifying factual narration to ensure clarity and translating judgments instantly to widen accessibility across linguistic communities.

Predictability and Consistency

Beyond language, the CJI stressed that clarity must also extend to judicial outcomes. He advocated for the technological "grouping of cases" involving similar questions of law to ensure consistency. Recounting a past instance where three benches of a High Court reached different outcomes in identical land acquisition appeals due to assignment sequencing, he noted that such unpredictability leaves litigants uncertain about their rights.

Prioritising Liberty

Reinforcing the need for a responsive judiciary, the CJI also disclosed that he recently issued an administrative order directing that matters involving "urgent interim relief"—such as bail, habeas corpus, eviction, and demolition—be listed within two days of curing defects. He framed this as a move to ensure that urgency is a "matter of design" rather than discretion.

Concluding his address, the Chief Justice reiterated that while technology is the medium, the vision must remain humane, aiming for a system where the "Rule of Law is not a decorative phrase" but a lived reality for citizens