Srinagar, Feb 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday underscored the vital role of the Tele-Law initiative in expanding access to justice and reducing the burden on courts, particularly for people residing in rural and remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a Regional Workshop on Tele-Law organised by the Ministry of Law and Justice at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here, the Chief Minister expressed hope that the scheme would be further strengthened in collaboration with the Government of India.
“I hope that after this workshop, together with the Government of India and the Ministry of Justice, we will see how this scheme can be strengthened and expanded further. We will connect more lawyers pro-bono so that everyone gets justice at the right time and in the right place,” he said.
The workshop was held under the Tele-Law initiative as part of Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA), a Central Sector Scheme being implemented by the Department of Justice. The event was also addressed by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Arun Palli, Secretary, Law & Justice, Government of India, Niraj Verma, and other senior officials and stakeholders.
Highlighting the significance of Tele-Law, Omar Abdullah said the initiative plays a crucial role in resolving disputes before they escalate into litigation.
“Only those cases should come to court where judicial hearing is necessary. Tele-Law helps by explaining the law, informing people about their rights, and promoting mediation. If problems are resolved before reaching court, the pressure on courts will be reduced,” he said.
He stressed that while urban populations have easier access to legal services, people in far-flung and rural areas often remain unaware of their rights and remedies. “For those living in remote areas, reaching a lawyer is not easy. Tele-Law connects such people with legal support through technology,” he added.
Emphasising the transformative role of technology-enabled legal services, the Chief Minister reiterated that under the Constitution, every citizen has the right to justice and that delays in justice delivery amount to denial of justice.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. If it takes more time to get justice, then it is equivalent to not getting it,” he remarked.
Referring to mounting pendency in courts across the country, he said a multi-pronged approach is needed to reduce backlog. “There are only three ways to reduce pendency — cases that come in should be disposed of quickly, pending cases should be reduced, and most importantly, fewer unnecessary new cases should reach the courts,” he observed.
Omar Abdullah informed that the Tele-Law scheme has expanded significantly in Jammu and Kashmir. “Initially there were only two districts, now there are 20 districts. More than 4,000 panchayats are being covered and over 7.5 lakh legal advices have been provided,” he said.
However, he added that the true measure of success lies in evaluating the scheme’s reach and impact in proportion to the population. He stressed the importance of learning from best practices adopted in other states and implementing them locally.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the role of Common Service Centres (CSCs) in implementing the initiative, noting that Tele-Law has provided renewed purpose and work opportunities to these centres.
Expressing confidence in the outcome of the deliberations, he said strengthening the Tele-Law initiative would help reach more people and significantly reduce the burden on courts.
The workshop was convened as part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to strengthen access to justice through technology-enabled legal services and to promote informed deliberations among key stakeholders.
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