New Delhi/Lucknow : The Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Saturday said that there is a need for developing law and legal education in vernacular and regional languages, which would ensure that citizens can not only access the legal system but also aspire to be lawyers and judges.
The CJI was speaking at a convocation function at RMLNLU in Lucknow. The function was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, apex court judge Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Arun Bhansali – Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, judges of the Allahabad High Court; Prof. Amar Pal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of RMLNLU, parents and students.
The CJI said: "In many countries across the world, both legal education and legal proceedings are conducted in the regional language, ensuring that all citizens can not only access the legal system but also aspire to be lawyers and judges". He said it is only when we teach core principles of law to our students efficiently while acquainting them with the local context and local legal terms, that we can create socially responsible lawyers in the future, who can truly understand the issues and concerns of the local community. “I hope that all of us think about these issues more deeply”, said Justice Chandrachud.
The CJI, in a message to the students, said their education at RMLNLU has provided them with a strong foundation, but it is their willingness to evolve and their ability to embrace change that will truly define their success. “Remember, the law is not a static field. It evolves with society, reflecting its changes, and addressing new challenges. As judges, with our grey hair, we too continue to change and evolve, even when we are perhaps almost double your age”, he said.
The CJI said he and his companion judges were once tied to traditional modes of adjudication, relying on bulky paper files. “However, courts today have embraced technology to increase access to justice and bring litigants closer to the courtroom. Similarly, we stay abreast of evolving areas of law that have significantly changed since our days as law students and lawyers, including issues involving artificial intelligence and technology-related disputes”, said the CJI.
Justice Chandrachud said to remain true to our role as guardians of our transformative Constitution, we continue to learn and unlearn to keep up with ever-evolving social values. He also shared views on how to make law and legal education accessible to millions of Indian citizens.
The CJI said the apex court’s research department carried out a survey of 81 universities and colleges’ at his direction and it was found that the local population, due to a lack of knowledge of the English language, faces issues in understanding their rights and schemes related to those rights. The CJI clarified that he did not mean that English should be removed but along with it, local and regional languages must be used in education.
