Lord Diljit Rana Mbe, honorary consul of India (Northern Ireland), speaks on the closing ceremony of Viswanath Pasayat birth centenary at Saheed Bhavan in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Oct. 11: Eminent jurists have underscored the need for a change in the ethos and ethics of the legal fraternity to ensure meaningful access to justice.

Speaking at a programme organised by the Viswanath Pasayat Birth Centenary Committee here yesterday, they said increase in the number of courts and upgrade of infrastructure could not provide access to justice alone unless lawyers came forward to help the poor litigants.

The programme was organised at Saheed Bhavan to conclude the yearlong celebration organised in memory of the late Viswanath Pasayat, a freedom fighter and lawyer. He is also the father of former Supreme Court judge Justice Arijit Pasayat.

Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph called upon the legal fraternity to respond to the cause of the poor. “All of us take a lot from society. So, we should not forget what we owe to the society,” Justice Joseph said. He said lawyers had a vital role in moulding the society.

Supreme Court judge S.K. Singh called upon lawyers to transcend monetary benefits and work for public good. “There is a need for a change in the ethos and ethics of lawyers to improve the justice delivery system and access to justice for the underprivileged,” Justice Singh said. He said lawyers must act as guardians. Paying rich tribute to the late Viswanath Pasayat who died at the age of 52, the jurists described him as a “social thinker”, “compassionate lawyer”, “angel for poor litigants” and “champion of the downtrodden”.

Underscoring the need for an era of humanisation, former Chief Justice of Jharkhand M.K.Vinayagam said Pasayat was an embodiment of nine qualities — values, integrity, sincerity, wisdom, alertness, nobility, awareness, truth and honesty.

Former Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh Justice M.N. Rao said Pasayat’s leftist and socialistic ideologies were still relevant. Lord Diljit Rana Mbe, honorary consul of India (Northern Ireland) opened the closing ceremony of the yearlong birth centenary celebrations, which was inaugurated on October 11, 2013, by former President Pratibha Patil.

The Birth Centenary Committee released a 252-page souvenir and a book, Viswanath Pasayat: Pioneer of a New Era, authored by advocate Devasnan Das. Veteran CPM leader and former MP Sivaji Patnaik and retired Justice P.C. Mishra were felicitated at the event. On June 21, the committee organised a seminar on the need for restraint in expressing views in media related to sub-judice matters at Sarala Bhavan here. Chief Justice of Bhutan Sonam Tobgye took part in it. Another seminar on the impact of Viswanath Prasayat’s writings on contemporary society was organised by the Utkal Sahitya Samaj at Sr Ram Chandra Bhavan here the following day.