BS EDIT: Justice Gap

By Business StandardPublished On Sep 25, 2025

A Promise Unfulfilled

Justice in India promises equality but often excludes the poor due to distance, cost, and language, especially in rural and marginalised communities

When Access Changes Outcomes

Free platforms like Indian Kanoon show how access to legal information improves filings, resolution rates, and judicial efficiency — without harming quality

English as a Barrier

Most courts operate in English, alienating litigants who can’t follow proceedings. Without language access, justice remains out of reach for millions

A System Under Strain

With over 50 million pending cases and 20% judicial vacancies, India's legal system faces structural burdens that delay and deny justice daily

Legal Aid in Decline

Paralegal volunteers have dropped sharply. Many undertrials wait years for trial. Legal aid, the poor’s lifeline, is buckling under pressure

Towards Meaningful Justice

Justice must be accessible in local languages, affordable, and geographically reachable. Until then, it remains a right in name, not in practice