Beyond the courtroom: Punjab and Haryana HC launches flood relief drive

Moving beyond its traditional role of adjudicating disputes and issuing directions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stepped directly into the relief effort for flood victims across Punjab. In a significant humanitarian initiative, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu as Patron-in-Chief, has opened a dedicated disaster relief fund. The call is for voluntary contributions from judges, advocates, judicial officers and employees, marking a resolve to extend justice through compassion in action.

The effort is a part of a larger framework. It draws its strength from the Legal Services Authorities Act, under which legal services institutions are mandated to safeguard the rights of the vulnerable. Justice Surya Kant as Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has all along been laying the foundation for such outreach, repeatedly emphasising that legal aid authorities must not only be custodians of rights in courts but also instruments of relief in the field. The competent authorities under his vision have been tasked with carrying forward relief initiatives, reaching out to the needy and identifying families most in distress.

The appeal, issued under the guidance of State Legal Services Authority Executive-Chairman Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and routed through Member-Secretary Navjot Kaur, conveys Chief Justice Sheel Nagu’s call to all high court judges, advocates, court staff, and judicial officers in Punjab and UT Chandigarh to contribute generously — “financially or in material terms”— towards relief efforts amid the severe statewide floods.

The circular, through High Court Registrar-General, has asked that the appeal be widely circulated to ensure maximum participation of the legal fraternity.

For contributions, a dedicated account has been opened. Donations may be made to account number 44426937384, IFSC Code SBIN0014656, State Bank of India, Sector 68, SAS Nagar, Mohali.

The appeal is significant as transforms the judiciary’s institutional authority into a moral call of conscience, while making it clear that every contribution — big or small in cash or in kind — can help restore hope and dignity for families devastated by the floods.