New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) "Justice delayed is justice denied." With these words, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday urged the government, the judiciary and lawyers to work together to make litigation affordable and reduce the mounting court cases.

"It has been said that justice delayed is justice denied. In this context it is important that concerted cooperative efforts are made by the government, the judiciary and the bar association to deal with the mounting arrears in our courts and the growing cost of litigation," the prime minister said.

He was addressing the golden jubilee conference on 'Law and Governance' of the Bar Association of India here.

The prime minister said equality before law cannot become a "living reality" if justice at affordable cost was not made accessible to ordinary citizens.

"The plight of the large number of undertrial prisoners in our jails should move the machinery of justice to speedy corrective measures as part of the process of reforming and improving the quality of governance in our country," he stressed.

He said the role of the legal fraternity was not confined to courts alone or advising the clients in their business deals.

"It extends to being an integral part of our system of administration of justice - and justice not just in the legal sense but justice - social, economic and political as set out in the preamble of our constitution."

The prime minister also urged the bar association to have fruitful discussions on "important subjects like funding of elections and law and education".