Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge inaugurates Legal Aid Defence Counsel office

Chandigarh, June 5

Justice Ritu Bahri, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Executive Chairperson, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh, inaugurated the office of Legal Aid Defence Counsel at the District Courts in Sector 43 here today.

Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal, Administrative Judge, Sessions Division, Chandigarh, was also present on the occasion.

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has introduced the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System involving a full-time engagement of lawyers with a support system.

It is a mechanism that substitutes the existing assigned counsel system of delivery of legal aid for providing free and competent legal aid to the needy litigants in criminal cases.

Justice Ritu Bahri said since a majority of the undertrials belonged to marginalised and weaker sections, the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System would come to the rescue of the needy and distressed persons in the UT.

Arunvir Vashista, District and Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, said the launch of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel office in Chandigarh was a significant step towards providing quality legal aid services to those in need within the criminal justice system.

Surender Kumar, Member Secretary, also provided an overview of the scheme and explained how this system was superior to other legal aid delivery systems.

Justice Bahri also inaugurated a counselling centre at the ADR Centre, District Courts, here.

Justice Bahri also emphasised the need for dissemination of information regarding mobile application namely “Share and Salute Chandigarh”, which has been created by the District Legal Services Authority, UT.

Navjeet Klair, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh; Anshu Shukla and Narender, Additional Sessions Judge, Chandigarh; Amaninder Singh Sandhu, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chandigarh; Manu Kukar, District Attorney, Chandigarh; Advocate Arvind Singh Sandhu, chief of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel, and Shankar Gupta, president of the District Bar Association, Chandigarh, along with executive members, were also present.