CJI calls upon legal graduates to devote their time, energies to legal aid

Chief Justice of India U. U. Lalit was addressing the 9th Convocation of National Law University, Odisha, Cuttack

Chief Justice of India U. U. Lalit on September 17 called upon law graduates to devote their time and energies for legal aid work, which, he termed, is bit neglected in the country.

Addressing the 9 th Convocation of National Law University, Odisha, Cuttack, Justice Lalit said “in last year and half, I have been associated with legal aid works and what I find is, I don’t mean to complain or show any disrespect, but somehow the legal aid work in this country is bit neglected.”

“Legal graduates are torchbearers. You should think of legal aid for certain extent, devote your time and energies to extent possible for legal aid work and it will bring you back to that level of compassion. The compassion will drive you in the right direction and show you the correct path. So whatever you have learnt, give it back to the society,” Chief Justice of India exhorted students in his address.

“Legal profession is a noble profession. Because, judging fellow citizens, adjudicating their conduct and deciding to certain extent their future whether a person is required to be kept in confinement or not is a sovereign function. In discharge of this sovereign function, law graduates and lawyers are part of this decision making. With their training, they are considered to be most favoured lot, who can represent citizens in their dispute resolution mechanism,” he said.

Stating that every society has to be an orderly society, Justice Lalit said, “if there is friction or any kind of dispute or inconsistencies, those must be sorted out in most orderly fashion. And what is the better course than having the disputes or inconsistencies resolved through court of law.”

“This profession has been one of the frontrunners when it comes to keeping the civil rights intact. That those who are legally trained minds have been the beacons, path-breakers and centre of attraction when it comes to raising voice against any kind of injustice,” said the CJI.

Addressing the convocation, Justice D. Y. Chandrachud said “the law in a significant sense is a service and if you do not know the element of service from the law, the law loses its soul. The success in life depends upon how you craft your own life to service to others especially underprivileged.”