Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the judiciary to speed up the release of undertrials languishing in various jails awaiting legal aid.

Addressing the first All India District Legal Services Authorities Meet here, he also said that ease of justice was as important as ease of doing business and ease of living.

"There are several undertrials in jails awaiting legal aid. Our District Legal Services Authorities can take up the responsibility of providing legal assistance to undertrials," the prime minister said.

Modi urged district judges attending the conference to speed up the release of undertrials using their offices as chairpersons of district-level undertrial review committees.

The prime minister noted that the National Legal Services Authority has started a campaign in this matter and urged the Bar Council of India to align more lawyers with this effort.