CJ Sharma insists on citizens’ increased access to justice

KATHMANDU:- Chief Justice Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma has said citizens’ access to justice must be increased so that it will help increase public trust in the judiciary.

Addressing an event ‘Dialogue on Access to Justice’ organized by the Supreme Court in the federal capital on Friday, the Chief Justice said, “It is everyone’s common responsibility to enforce citizens’ right to justice,” he said, echoing the need to make judiciary further inclusive, accessible and civic-friendly.

True implementation of constitutional rights could only be realised once citizens are able to exercise their rights and access judicial remedies in an easy way, the Chief Justice argued. Access to justice is more than reaching out to a court to file a case. It is about understanding the judicial process, participating in it effectively, presenting one’s arguments confidently, and getting justice within an appropriate time, according to him.

Sharma reminded that the judiciary’s Five-Year Strategic Plan (2081-86 BS) prioritises access to justice, judicial good governance and the improvement of service delivery.

Calling for making the judicial procedures further simplified, accessible and effective, he stressed the need to build disabled-friendly physical infrastructure and an accessible information and communications system.

In his view, citizens’ rights and dignity should be secured right from crime investigation to prosecution to judicial execution to verdict implementation.

Recalling his experiences as the Chairperson of the Commission on Access to Justice in the past, the Chief Justice said the challenges regarding access to justice are caused by citizens’ social conditions, institutional practices, procedural complexities and the lack of effective service delivery. RSS