‘Justice must find its way to the citizen’: CJI Surya Kant

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Chief Justice of India Surya Kant being felicitated during the inauguration of Victim Rights Centre at the Bihar State Legal Services Authority campus, in Patna on Saturday. | Photo Credit: -

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant on Saturday (September 26, 2026) inaugurated the first Victim Rights Centre (VRC) in Bihar which will work as single window mechanism for victims of crimes. 

CJI Kant also flagged off nine multi-utility vehicles, besides launching a transgender helpline, and releasing a book on VRC.

The CJI inaugurated the four initiatives in the presence of the Patna High Court Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao, also Patron-in-Chief of Bihar State Legal Services Authority (BSLSA); Patna High Court seniormost judge and Executive Chairman of BSLSA, Justice Sudhir Singh; Judges of the Patna High Court; and other senior officials of the High Court, district judiciary and members of the Bar at function held at BSLSA premises here.

Speaking at the launch of the initiatives, CJI Kant said that justice must not remain confined to the walls of a courtroom but must reach to those who are vulnerable, unheard or unable to navigate the legal system on their own.

Though designed to address different needs, the four initiatives are united by a common principle that, “justice must not wait for the citizen to find it; the justice system must find its way to the citizen,” the CJI said.

Explaining the significance of the VRC, the CJI said a victim should not have to understand the law in order to access benefits that the law already guarantees, including compensation, legal and medical assistance, counselling, protection and rehabilitation.

Although these entitlements may exist across different statutes, departments and institutions, their fragmentation can make them difficult for victims to access.

The CJI also highlighted the helpline launched for the transgender community, noting that members of vulnerable and historically marginalised communities can face barriers even before a legal case is formally initiated.

The multi-utility vehicles launched as part of the programme will take legal awareness, documentation support and first-point assistance to villages and settlements that may be beyond the immediate reach of courts and legal institutions.

“When people cannot easily reach the system, the system must be prepared to reach them,” the CJI said.

Access to justice is not complete merely because an institution opens its doors, he said, adding that it is complete when people who need assistance can actually find their way to those doors.

The CJI said the four initiatives should not be judged by the inauguration ceremony but by their impact on people’s lives. Their success would depend on whether calls for help are answered effectively, promised entitlements actually reach beneficiaries, victims are spared the unnecessary repetition of painful accounts, and legal assistance reaches communities that have limited access to courtrooms, he said.

Congratulating BSLSA, Justice Rao described the VRC as an important step towards making justice more accessible and responsive to those who have suffered because of crime.

Justice Rao said that discussions around criminal justice often focus on the State and the accused, covering investigation, evidence, trial, conviction and acquittal. However, somewhere in this process is a human being who has actually suffered because of the crime and whose concerns must also remain central. 

Justice Sudhir Singh underlined that the success of such initiatives would depend not merely on institutional arrangements but also the sensitivity with which people approaching the justice system are treated.

“The essence of our endeavour today can be expressed in one simple thought ‘nyay tabhi saarthak hai jab wah vyakti tak pahunche, jise uski sabse adhik awashyakta hai (Justice is meaningful only when it reaches the person who needs it the most), Justice Singh said.

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