Cuttack: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday underscored the need for an India where there is equal access to justice for all.

Kovind, who was speaking at National Law University, Odisha, said: "It would be a travesty of our republican eth-ics if a poor person did not get the same access to the law as a rich person. Unfortunately, in practice, this is happening."

The President said the country's legal system had a reputation of being expensive and being prone to delays.

"The use and abuse of the instruments of adjournments is often done by advocates, who see adjournment as a tactic to slow down proceedings, rather than a genuine response to an emergency. This adds to the cost of obtaining justice for the litigant."

Speaking at the varsity's third foundation day lecture, he stressed on the need to increase legal literacy vis-à-vis simplification of legal rules. He also expected high courts to issue certified copies of judgments in regional languages.

He advised lawyers to be professionals, not just with a mind, but also with a heart and said they should be "voice for the voiceless and bring justice to the deprived".

Modernisation of legal education had opened new opportunities for professionals compared to those of earlier generations, he said.

"But when you start your legal profession, please do whatever you can to pay back to the society by philanthropic work."

The president said the national law schools had revolutionalised legal education in India over the past three decades during which it had gone up from one in 1986 to 19 now.

Addressing the occasion, Chief Justice Dipak Misra underlined the foundation day's importance as a mark of remembrance and for introspection.

He expected students graduating from the university to become cornerstones of liberty, justice and equality and asked the students not to regard studies as a duty, but an opportunity to learn.