’Govt making attempts to draft laws in simple language,’ says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the 2023 International Lawyers' Conference at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

Speaking on occasion, PM Modi said, “Language and simplicity of law is another area of the justice delivery system which isn't talked about much. Earlier, any law's drafting was very complex. We are trying to find solutions to this. We have taken the first step to simplify Data protection law.”

The inaugural ceremony saw the presence of important dignitaries, including Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

Modi further said, “I congratulate the Supreme Court of Bharat for providing operative parts of the judgements in the litigant's language.”

Modi further informed that the government is making sincere attempts to draft laws in simple language, Indian languages as much as possible.

"We in the Indian government are thinking that law should be produced in two ways. One draft will be in the language you are used to," he said to the audience drawn from the legal field. "The second draft will be in a language which the country's common man can understand. He should consider the law his own."

Modi said there had been a practice of drafting laws in a complex manner.

Lauding the legal fraternity, he said, "The judiciary and the Bar have long been protectors of India's justice system and noted that they played a pivotal in India's independence. The likes of Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel were lawyers", the prime minister said.

The conference, he said, is happening at a time when India has witnessed several historic moments.

Referring to the passage of the women's reservation bill in Parliament, he said this will give new direction and energy to women-led development. He also spoke of the G20 Summit and the successful Chandrayaan mission.

“With India working hard to achieve the goal of becoming a developed country by 2047, it requires the base of a strong and impartial justice system, he said. Impartial justice has a big role in the growing faith of the world in India”, Modi added.

Meanwhile, CJI Chandrachud said that it is not utopian to aspire to a world where nations, institutions, and most importantly individuals are open to engaging with one another.

"Each one of us has volumes to learn from different jurisdictions, perspectives, and most importantly each other. Over the next two days, we will witness some of the best minds including judges from across the globe, my own colleagues from the Supreme Court and several High Courts, global practitioners, and legal scholars,” the CJI said in his address.

During his speech, Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, emphasized the Indian legal framework that promotes a favourable environment for business operations.

The International Lawyer's Conference 2023, hosted by the Bar Council of India, centers around the theme 'Emerging Challenges in Justice Delivery System' and is scheduled for September 23 and 24. The primary goal of this conference is to provide a platform for substantive conversations and deliberations on a wide range of legal subjects with both national and international significance. It seeks to encourage the exchange of thoughts and experiences, as well as to enhance international collaboration and comprehension of legal matters.

This inaugural conference, a first-of-its-kind in India, will delve into various subjects including newly emerging legal trends, issues related to cross-border litigation, the impact of legal technology, and environmental law.

The event will feature the presence and active engagement of esteemed judges, legal experts, and prominent figures from the global legal community.