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PM addresses inaugural session of All India Conference of Law Ministers and Law Secretaries in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat via video message

Published By : Admin | October 15, 2022 | 12:16 IST
“When justice is seen to be delivered, then the faith of the countrymen in the constitutional institutions is strengthened”
“The people of the country should feel neither the absence nor the pressure of the government”
“In the last 8 years, India has repealed more than one and a half thousand old and irrelevant laws and reduced more than 32 thousand compliances”
“We have to understand how to make alternative dispute resolution mechanism a part of the legal system at the local level in the states”
“Our focus should be to make laws that are easily understood by the poorest of the poor”
“Local language plays a big role in the legal system for ease of justice”
“State governments should work with a humane approach regarding undertrial prisoners so that the judicial system moves forward with human ideals”
“If we look at the spirit of the Constitution, there is no scope for argument or competition among judiciary, legislature and courts despite different functions”
“A sensitive justice system is essential for a capable nation and a harmonious society”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural session of All India Conference of Law Ministers and Law Secretaries today via video message.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that the critical meeting of law ministers and secretaries of all states in the country is taking place under the grandeur of the Statue of Unity, and it is the inspiration of Sardar Patel that will help us achieve our goals by pointing us in the right direction during this phase of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The Prime Minister pointed out the need for a dependable and speedy justice system for a healthy and confident society in a developing country like ours. He further added that the judicial system and various procedures and traditions in every society have been developing according to the needs of the time period. Shri Modi said, “When justice is seen to be delivered, then the faith of the countrymen in the constitutional institutions is strengthened. And when justice is delivered, the confidence of the common man goes up.” He further added that such events are very important for the continuous improvement of the law and order of the country.

The Prime Minister informed that the development journey of Indian society is thousands of years old and we have made steady progress despite facing critical challenges. “The biggest aspect of our society is the tendency to improve itself internally while moving forward on the path of progress”, Shri Modi added. Stressing the need for continuous improvement, the Prime Minister pointed out that it is an indispensable requirement for the smooth functioning of every system. “Our society keeps on weeding out irrelevant laws and wrong customs. Otherwise, when any tradition turns into orthodoxy, it turns out to be a burden on society”, he added, “The people of the country should feel neither the absence of government nor the pressure of the government.”

Throwing light on the special emphasis on removing the pressure of the government from the citizens of India, the Prime Minister informed that in the last 8 years, India has repealed more than one and a half thousand archaic laws and reduced more than 32 thousand compliances to put an end to the legal hurdles that obstruct the path of innovation and ease of living. “Many of these laws were continuing from the time of slavery”, he said. The Prime Minister further added that many old laws from the time of slavery are still in operation in the states and urged the dignitaries present on occasion to make way for the abolition of such laws at this conference. “In this Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, new laws should be made by abolishing the laws which have been going on from the time of slavery”, Shri Modi added. The Prime Minister also pointed towards reviewing the existing laws of the states while focusing on Ease of Living and Ease of Justice for the people.

The Prime Minister noted that the delay in serving justice has come across as the biggest challenge and the judiciary is working with utmost seriousness in this direction. Throwing light on the mechanism of alternative dispute resolution, the Prime Minister suggested that it has been put to good use in the villages of India for a long time and can now be promoted to the state level. “We have to understand how to make it a part of the legal system at the local level in the states”, Shri Modi added.

Recalling the time when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Prime Minister said that the then government had introduced the concept of evening courts. He further explained that cases which were less serious in terms of sections were taken up by the evening courts which resulted in the resolution of more than 9 lakh cases in Gujarat in recent years. The Prime Minister also highlighted the emergence of Lok Adalats that have led to the disposal of lakhs of cases in various states and reduced the burden of the courts. “People living in the rural areas have benefitted immensely from this”, he added.

Noting the responsibility of the ministers in formulating laws in the Parliament, the Prime Minister remarked that if there is confusion in the law itself, it is the common citizens who have to bear the brunt of it in future, no matter the intentions. He further added that ordinary citizens have to spend a lot of money and run around from post to pillar to get justice. He said, “When the law comes to the understanding of the common man, then its effect is something else.”

Drawing examples from other countries, the Prime Minister noted that when a law is made in the Parliament or Legislative Assembly, it is prepared to explain it in detail within the definition of law, and secondly to draft the law in a language that can be easily understood by the common man. The timeline of the execution of the law is also determined and the law is reviewed again in the new circumstances. “Local language plays a big role in the legal system for ease of justice. Academic ecosystem will also have to be created for the youth in the mother tongue. Law courses should be in mother tongue, our laws should be written in simple language, digital libraries of important cases of High Courts and Supreme Court should be in local language”, he added.

“When the judicial system grows along with society, it has a natural tendency to adopt modernity. As a result, the changes that take place in society are also visible through the justice system” Shri Modi said. Putting the spotlight on the integration of technology in the judicial system, the Prime Minister pointed out the emergence of e-courts and virtual hearings and the promotion of e-filings. Shri Modi further added that these systems will get a major boost with the arrival of 5G in the country. “Every state will have to update and upgrade its systems. It should also be an important goal of our legal education to prepare it according to technology”, he added.

Recalling the joint meeting of Chief Justices of High Courts where the Prime Minister had raised the issue of undertrial prisoners, he urged the dignitaries to work towards speedy trials for the disposal of such cases. The Prime Minister further added that state governments should work with a humane approach regarding undertrial prisoners so that the judicial system moves forward with human ideals. “A sensitive justice system is essential for a capable nation and a harmonious society”, Shri Modi added.

Underlining the supremacy of the Constitution, the Prime Minister said that the Constitution is the origin of the judiciary, legislature and executive. “Be it the government, Parliament, our courts, all three are, in a way, the children of the same mother. So even though the functions are different, if we look at the spirit of the constitution, there is no scope for argument or competition. Like the children of a mother, all three have to serve Maa Bharati, together they have to take India to new heights in the 21st century”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Union Minister of Law & Justice, Shri Kiren Rijiju and Union Minister of State for Law & Justice, Shri S P Singh Baghel were those present on occasion among others.

Background

The two-day conference is being hosted by the Ministry of Law & Justice at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. The objective of the Conference is to provide a common forum for policymakers to discuss issues relating to the Indian Legal and Judicial system. The States and UTs will be able to share their best practices, exchange new ideas, and improve their mutual cooperation through this Conference.

The conference will witness discussions revolving around topics like alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as arbitration and mediation for quick and affordable justice, upgrading overall legal infrastructure, removing obsolete laws, improving access to justice, reducing pendency of cases and ensuring speedy disposal, bringing uniformity in proposals relating to state bills for better centre-state coordination and strengthening of State Legal Systems, among others.

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PM Modi chairs 51st PRAGATI Meeting
May 27, 2026
PM reviews seven critical infrastructure projects across the Railways, Power and Road sectors
Projects reviewed span across 9 States with cumulative investment of around ₹30,000 crore
PM also reviews Ken Betwa Link Project and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0
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Acting upon the advice of PM, system of monthly review of social sector schemes at State level operationalised, starting with review of Swachh Bharat Mission

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 51st meeting of PRAGATI, the ICT-enabled, multi-modal platform aimed at fostering Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, by seamlessly integrating efforts of the Central and State governments, at Seva Teerth, earlier today.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister reviewed seven critical infrastructure projects across the Railways, Power and Road sectors covering nine States worth around ₹30,000 crore. These projects, pivotal to economic growth and public welfare, were reviewed with a focus on timelines, inter-agency coordination, and timely issue resolution. Prime Minister also reviewed Ken Betwa Link Project and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0.

While reviewing power sector projects, Prime Minister emphasized the need to accelerate rooftop solar adoption across urban areas, with a special focus on cities, residential clusters and public institutions. He underlined that rooftop solar should be taken up in mission mode to reduce electricity costs, improve energy security and promote clean energy at the household and community level.

While reviewing road and port connectivity projects, it was emphasised that Vadhavan Port should be developed as a model of port-led, multi-modal development, where every major mode of transport is seamlessly integrated to create a future-ready logistics ecosystem. The project should not be seen merely as a port, but as a national gateway connected through coastal shipping, inland waterways, dedicated freight corridors, high-speed rail connectivity, highways and airport linkages.

Prime Minister emphasised the need for effective implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and underlined that the mission should move beyond infrastructure creation and ensure measurable outcomes through regular monitoring, citizen participation and convergence between various stakeholders. He asked States to expedite the completion of solid waste management-related infrastructure, including waste processing plants and GOBARdhan plants.

While reviewing Ken-Betwa River Inter-linking Project, Prime Minister observed that Ken-Betwa project should serve as a model for other States to resolve inter-State water issues through cooperation, timely clearances, technology-based monitoring and mission-mode execution. States were encouraged to identify similar opportunities where river-linking, water conservation, groundwater recharge and efficient irrigation can be taken up in an integrated manner to ensure long-term water security.

Prime Minister also underlined that the delay in the implementation of public projects leads not only to cost escalation but also deprives citizens of timely access to essential facilities and development benefits. He observed that every delay has a direct impact on people’s lives, regional growth and public resources. He stressed that Ministries, Departments and States must adopt a more proactive and time-bound approach to resolve pending issues, remove bottlenecks and ensure faster execution.

Prime Minister also emphasized that innovative use of canal networks should be explored, including installation of solar panels along canals and over canals for clean electricity generation. This would help optimize land use, reduce evaporation losses, generate renewable energy and create additional economic value from water infrastructure.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet Secretary informed that, in pursuance of the directions of the Prime Minister, a system of monthly review of social sector schemes at the State level has also been operationalised. This mechanism aims to ensure regular monitoring, faster resolution of implementation issues and greater accountability at the State and district levels. As part of this initiative, Swachh Bharat Mission has been taken up for review at the State level in the first instance.