Justice Mission 2025 — UPSC Notes

🟢 Prelims — Key Facts

What is Justice Mission 2025?

A government initiative aimed at strengthening access to justice and improving justice-delivery efficiency by 2025, with focus on:

• Reducing pendency
• Expanding legal aid
• Digitisation of courts
• Improving ADR mechanisms
• Strengthening Legal Services Authorities

Major Components Linked to the Mission

• e-Courts Phase-III → paperless courts, virtual hearings
• Nyaya Bandhu (Pro-Bono Legal Services) → free legal aid
• Tele-LAW Programme → online legal consultations
• Fast-Track Special Courts (POCSO & rape cases)
• National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) outreach
• ADR & Lok Adalats expansion

Targets / Focus Areas (Broadly)

• Reduce court pendency
• Increase disposal rates
• Promote mediation
• Improve victim-centric justice
• Strengthen district-level legal awareness

Why Needed?

• India has 4+ crore pending cases
• Delay erodes public trust & access to justice (Article 39-A)
• Overburdened judiciary → social & economic costs

Constitutional Basis

• Article 39-A — Free Legal Aid
• Directive Principles
• Linked to Right to Life & Dignity (Article 21)

🟣 Mains — Analytical Notes

Objectives

1. Ensure timely justice delivery
2. Strengthen legal aid for poor & vulnerable
3. Leverage technology for efficiency
4. Promote ADR to reduce burden
5. Improve justice-system accessibility

How It Is Being Implemented

• Digital courts & online case-tracking
• Fast-track courts for sensitive crimes
• Legal awareness & door-step legal aid
• Pro-bono lawyer network expansion
• Use of tele-law services in rural areas
• Better court-infrastructure funding via states & center

Expected Outcomes

• Faster resolution of disputes
• Higher legal awareness
• Reduced prison under-trial backlog
• Inclusion of women, tribals, poor & marginalised
• Lower litigation burden on courts

Challenges

• Digital divide in rural & remote regions
• Shortage of judges & court staff
• Infrastructure constraints in lower courts
• Low awareness about legal aid
• Under-funding concerns

Way Forward

• Fill judicial vacancies faster
• Expand mediation & community dispute resolution
• Upgrade technology capacity
• Improve legal literacy & outreach
• Monitor pendency through dashboards
• Encourage responsible litigation policy by govt (largest litigant)

📝 Good Mains Answer Line

“Justice Mission 2025 reflects India’s shift from a court-centred justice model to a citizen-centred justice system — focusing on pendency reduction, digital inclusion, ADR expansion and universal access to legal aid under Article 39-A.”

📌 Likely Prelims Question

Justice Mission 2025 aims primarily to:

(a) Introduce All-India Judicial Services

(b) Reduce pendency & improve access to justice

(c) Modernise police investigation

(d) Reform prisons

✔ Answer: (b)