Legal Aid Defence Counsel System set up in Hoshiarpur

Hoshiarpur, August 19

The Legal Aid Defence Counsel System was introduced at the new District and Sessions Court Complex by the District Legal Services Authority, Hoshiarpur, as per the instructions received from the Punjab State Legal Services Authority, SAS Nagar (Mohali).

Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, Executive Chairman of Punjab State Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh, inaugurated the facility through video conference. Manjinder Singh, Member Secretary, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, and Smriti Dhir, Additional Member Secretary, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, SAS Nagar, were also present on the occasion.

On the occasion, District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman District Legal Services Authority Dilbagh Singh Johal said legal aid defence counsel system offices were opened in 14 districts of the state, out of which Hoshiarpur district was also selected.

The District Legal Services Authority, Hoshiarpur, has appointed one Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel, three Deputy Legal Aid Defence Counsels and two Assistant Legal Aid Defence Counsels to run the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System smoothly. Just as in criminal cases, the District Attorney, the Deputy District Attorney and the Assistant District Attorney appear for prosecution on behalf of the state, similarly, one Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel, three Deputy Legal Aid Defence Counsel and two Assistant Legal Aid Defence Counsel were appointed to pursue the cases of the accused. In criminal cases involving plaintiffs and victims, panel lawyers would be appointed to prosecute the cases.

District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman District Legal Services Authority Dilbagh Singh Johal and Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary District Legal Services Authority Aparajita Joshi visited the office of the newly opened Legal Aid Defence Counsel.

Vishal Kumar, Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel, Rupika Thakur, Sandeep and Harjinder Kumar Verma, Deputy Legal Aid Defence Counsel, and Niharka and Karan Luthra, Assistant Legal Aid Defence Counsels, and staff members of the District Legal Services Authority, Hoshiarpur, were present. District Judge instructed the staff members posted in the office of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel to provide legal advice and assistance to people coming to this office on priority without any delay.