Legal Aid Now A Touch Away From Your Phone
Himachal State Legal Services Authority has decided to set up Legal Assistance Establishment ‘Nyay Sampark’ to provide free legal aid to the needy people
Y.S. Rana
The writer is a Hamirpur based Himachali settled in Chandigarh
Legal aid seekers, with little spare time of visiting the hassles of legal authority office, have now a reason to cheer up. The socially conscious HP State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) has decided to make its activities available right at the click of the mouse for those who are unable to visit its office time and again. What they will have to do is to just ring up a phone number or mobile and convey what all information they want to have regarding their cases? Also, they can remain in touch with their advocates through video conferencing. Based on the keynote address by Justice Dipak Misra, Judge, Supreme Court and executive chairman, National Legal Services Authority (NLSA), Himachal State Legal Services Authority has also decided to set up Legal Assistance Establishment (LAE) ‘Nyay Sampark’. Justice Misra has come up with a novel idea to set up legal assistance establishments (LAE) in all states to strengthen and streamline its activities aimed at providing free legal aid to the needy. It will open a new chapter in the progressive history of NLSA. The first-of-its-kind establishment was opened in Delhi on May 17 last.
Recently, a meeting of NLSA was held in Ahmedabad where member secretaries of SLSA of north-west states including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir participated and a blue print of the same was circulated so that State Legal Services Authorities can follow the same and better equip itself. An official of the HP SLSA while talking to Himachal This Week confirmed the opening of LAE and revealed that at present High Court was closed for summer vacation. After vacation, the authority would move forward in the matter. The modalities of setting up LAE will start on provision of infrastructure such as space (at least two rooms), landline and mobile numbers, two computers, video conferencing facility and furniture. He further said that beneficiaries would be able to get quick information about their case status pending in any of district courts of the state.
Video Conference Facility
The LAE will have a dedicated helpline number; dedicated landline telephone and a-mail ID; video conferencing facility with district legal services authorities and jail; mobile with dedicated number; internet facilities for linking with the website of Supreme Court, state High Court and district courts; PLV to assist the legal aid seekers in filling up forms. It is also stated that LAE is more than delivery points. Earlier whenever a legal aid seeker used to visit the SLSA, he was either asked to approach the district legal services authority or any other forum. With the introduction of the LAE an endeavour has been made to connect a legal aid seeker with the district legal services authority or the panel advocate as the case may be. The facility of video conferencing would help the under trial in jail to connect and brief his advocate provide by the authority.
One Stop Centre For Legal Aid Services
Legal Assistance Establishment (LAE) will be a one stop centre that will provide information on legal aid services across the state. Instead of visiting the authority office for information and status of their cases, litigants could know while sitting in their house. The LAE will be set up in the premises of SLSA and work as a database of all activities relating to provision of legal aid seekers will be able to get quick information about their pending cases, legal aid and advice and information about various schemes run by the NLSA. It is a strategic cornerstone of the legal services authorities as a part of their commitment to update the legal services seekers about their cases and address the grievances of legal services beneficiaries at one stop centre, said member secretary, Mahavir Singh, State Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh.
Advocates, Para Legal Volunteers To Extend Legal Help
Legal Assistance Establishment would be manned by legal services advocates on the panel of the HP State Legal Services Authority along with staff of district legal services authority (DLSA) besides Para legal volunteers who would have knowledge about and be in possession of database of all the activities of DLSA as well as well as other information that may be required by people –who are either legal services beneficiaries or the legal services seekers. These would be functional from 10 a.m to 5 p.m on all working days. “The database will include the status of all legal aided cases pending in various courts of Himachal Pradesh,” said the member secretary.
Himachal-o-Meter
The state’s ups and downs this week
Electrification Of Una-Amb-Andaura Rail Line Begins
Una: Rail network is one thing that Himachal lacks badly. However there is a good news in this connection. Work on the electrification of the 35-km Una-Amb-Andaura railway track has finally begun, which will enable the electric locomotives pulling the Himachal Express and the daily passenger trains to reach Amb-Andaura. At present, the electric locomotives have to be replaced with diesel ones at Nangal for their to and fro journey everyday. According to Sumit Sharma, a member of the Northern Railway, Rs 12.5 crore had been sanctioned in the Union Budget for the work. He said the work was expected to be completed within two to three months, adding that this would pave the way for the extension of other trains to Amb-Andaura, which at present terminate their journey at Nangal.
Ten Killed In Bus Accident In Dhaliara
Dharamshala: Ten persons were killed while 65 others left injured when a bus carrying them rolled down into a gorge on a sharp curve near Dhaliara in Kangra district. The bus was carrying 75 persons who were traveling from Amritsar to Jawalaji in Kangra district. Sources said the driver of the bus lost control as he tried to save the bus from a collision with a Maruti car coming from the opposite side. He hit the car but no harm was caused to the car occupants. The bus rolled down into a deep gorge. The pilgrims in the bus were traders from Amritsar who came to pay obeisance at Chintpurni Mata temple in Una district and Jawalaji Mata temple in Kangra district on every ‘Sagrandh’ (full moon night). The pilgrims were coming towards Jawalamukhi after paying obeisance at Chintpurni temple when the accident took place. Sources said that 10 pilgrims died on the spot as locals rushed to the spot for rescue and relief operation immediately. Injured were shifted to the Dehra government hospital with most of the critically injured shifted to Tanda Medical College.
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