He stated that the primary challenge is not a shortage of laws, but the limited access ordinary citizens have to them.
Key Barriers to Access to Justice
- Economic and Geographical
- Poverty and High Costs: E.g., Around 75% of India’s prisoners are undertrials, many of whom remain in jail due to the inability to afford bail. (India Justice Report 2025)
- Physical Distance: E.g., hilly and mountainous areas, remote, etc.
- Institutional and Procedural
- Systemic Delays, Complex Procedures, Inadequate Infrastructure and Staffing.
- Language Barrier: Use of English in higher courts alienates non-English-speaking litigants.
- Paucity of Awareness and Gaps in Legal Aid: Free legal aid is poorly implemented.
- Social, Cultural, and Intersectional
- Black coat syndrome: Refers to the fear, anxiety, and sense of alienation experienced by marginalized communities when engaging with or navigating the legal system.
- Discrimination and Institutional Apathy: Marginalized groups face bias and difficulty.
- Secondary Victimization: Sexual assault survivors face social pressure, intimidation, and humiliation.
- Lack of Trust and Vested Interests: Corruption and resistance to reforms reduce public trust in the judiciary.
Initiatives taken to Promote Access to Justice
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