Legal services opening people's eyes: CJ
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 09 2021:
Manipur High Court Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar has stated that legal services authorities are opening the eyes of the people with regard to the law, in addition to providing free legal aid to innocent people.
The Chief Justice was giving the presidential address on the occasion of Legal Services Day-2021 and Commendation Ceremony 2020-21 organised by Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA) at the auditorium of High Court of Manipur on Tuesday.
Sanjay Kumar recounted that with the aim of successful implementation of legal aid scheme, the Committee on Implementation of Legal Aid Scheme was formed on September 26, 1920 .
The Committee tried the schemes in all the states and union territories but failed to do so successfully due to some circumstances.
Subsequently, the Legal Services Act was passed in 1987 after realizing the need for a legal services authority.
The Act, however, came into effect only in 1995.Under this Act, legal services authority were set up at national, state and district levels for spreading awareness among the masses in remote areas and providing free legal aid.
On top of this, information on legal rights, settlement of cases which have been pending in the Courts for a long time and introduction ofLok Adalats was duly taken up, he recalled.
The programme was also attended Manipur High Court Justice Lanusungkum Jamir, Justice and MASLSA executive chairman Kh Nobin, Justice and High Court Legal Services Committee MV Muralidhar and Justice A Bimol.
During the technical session, discussions were held on 'Encouraging Mediation and other ADR mechanism: The past, present and the future", and "Services of Pro bono lawyers in Manipur: Way forward", while a legal awareness-based short film "Khangminasi Eikhoi" was shown.