Access to justice is an essential feature of democratic governance and a constitutional commitment under the Indian legal system. Despite judicial recognition of access to justice as an integral component of Article 21, socio-economic inequalities, lack of legal awareness, geographical barriers, and procedural complexities have historically limited effective justice delivery for marginalized communities. The emergence of digital technology has introduced a transformative approach through digital legal literacy, which combines awareness of legal rights with the ability to access and utilize online legal platforms and services.

This paper examines the role of digital legal literacy in strengthening access to justice in India by tracing the evolution of legal literacy through constitutional jurisprudence and landmark judicial decisions such as Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar, which recognized free legal aid and speedy trial as fundamental rights. It analyses how digital initiatives including e-Courts, Tele-Law services, Online Dispute Resolution mechanisms, and pro bono platforms have reduced financial, geographical, and procedural barriers within the justice system. The study further evaluates persistent challenges such as the digital divide, linguistic limitations, technological illiteracy, privacy concerns, and institutional disparities that hinder inclusive implementation.

Drawing upon comparative global practices, the paper highlights that technological advancement alone cannot guarantee equitable justice unless supported by education, infrastructure, and inclusive policy frameworks. It argues that digital legal literacy functions as a critical empowerment tool capable of democratizing legal knowledge and participation in judicial processes. The paper concludes that strengthening multilingual digital platforms, community-based training, institutional capacity, and data protection safeguards is essential for realizing the constitutional vision of equal justice under Article 39A and ensuring an accessible, efficient, and citizen-centric justice system in the digital age.