ACCESS TO JUSTICE TOWARDS THE CREATION OF INCLUSIVE SOCIAL ORDER
the added initiative to move from the procedural Code to the realm of substantive law, in
our own view, the mediation method with detailed directives, supported and facilitated by
Internet technology (resolving the issues of space and time), is likely to gain the requisite
momentum and, thereby, meaningfully expanding the arena of access to justice in the
creation of inclusive society.
3. Creation of inclusive society by having Access to Justice without the
intervention of Courts
Access to justice, as delineated above, is the underlying basic principle of the ‘rule of law’.
Following the common law tradition, it is often invoked whenever there occurs a violation of
a ‘legal right’, that is a right (as stated jurisprudentially by the distinguished judge and jurist
John William Salmond), which is recognised and applied by the State in the administration
of justice. A clear manifestation of this facet of right is reflected in Article 32 and Article
226 of the Constitution. By virtue of Article 32 and its juxtaposition, this right is not only
the fundamental right of every citizen to move the highest court of the land by appropriate
proceedings for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights enunciated in Part III of the
Constitution,67 but also, by reason of its inclusion in Part III, the remedial right itself becomes
the fundamental right, implying thereby that the right to move the court is an inviolable
fundamental right. Likewise, under Article 226, every High Court shall have the power to
issue directions, orders or writs to any Government, authority or person for the enforcement
of any of the rights conferred by Part III and for any other purpose throughout the territories in
relation to which it exercises jurisdiction.68 Here, the only jurisdictional caveat in case of High
Court is that the cause of action, wholly or in part, must have arisen for the exercise of such
power, “notwithstanding that the seat of such Government or authority or the residence of
such person is not within those territories.”69
The clear implication is that the whole notion of ‘access to justice’ means, nothing more and
nothing less but, ‘access to courts’, because courts are the constitutionally recognised ‘temples
67
68
69
Under clause (2) of Article 32 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court shall have power “to issue directions or orders or writs, including writs
in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari, whichever may be appropriate,” for the enforcement
of any of the rights conferred by Part III.
Clause (1) of Article 226 of the Constitution.
Clause (2) of Article 226 of the Constitution.
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