"Today, an ordinary man can't afford to go to the court," Gowda said after inaugurating Justice V R Krishna Iyer International Mission for Law and Justice here.
"In the subordinate courts, some people can. But if an ordinary citizen wants to engage an advocate in the High Court and the Supreme Court, it is highly impossible. The ordinary litigant cannot bear the fees of the advocate," he said at the function, which was attended by Kerala Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and noted Malayalam writer Prof M K Sanu.
Noting that delivery and administration of justice was one of the foremost functions of the state, Gowda said it is important to provide legal aid to all citizens of the country.
"One of the important visions of the Justice Krishna Iyer is to giving justice to the underprivileged of the society. A number of underprivileged people are getting justice because of the vision Justice Krishna Iyer," he added.