Free legal aid was provided in 26130 cases to poor and needy persons in Punjab during the previous year whereas 303395 cases were disposed of through various lok Adalats and awards of Rs. 1078 crore, 25 lakh and 22 thousands were passed. It was disclosed by Mr. Justice Dipak Misra, Judge Supreme Court of India-cum-Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi after inaugurating the newly constructed “Punjab State Legal Services Authority Complex” at Plot No.126, Sector 69, Mohali. On this occasion Mr. Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court and Patron-In-Chief, Punjab Legal Services Authority, Mr. Justice S.S. Saron, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, Mr. Justice A.K. Mittal, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority and Mr. Justice Surya Kant, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, U.T. Chandigarh were also present.Mr. Justice Dipak Misra also inaugurated the Kanooni Sarthi (Legal Assistance Establishment) in the office of Punjab State Legal Services Authority Complex. After this Mr. Justice Dipak Misra had a video conferencing session with the jail Superintendents of different Jails of Punjab. He enquired about the total strength (Male and Female) of inmates lodged in different jails and how many of them are getting the facility of free legal aid.
Justice Misra instructed all the jail authorities to ensure that inmates are properly informed about their legal rights and the facility of free legal aid must be provided to each inmate irrespective of their crime.Mr. Justice Dipak Misra while talking to the journalists said that ‘Legal Assistance Establishments’ are multiple services-single point establishments for providing facilities for legal aid seekers under one roof and at a single location. He said that this establishment would provide to the beneficiaries some exclusive services which included Quick information about their case status pending in any of the districts, Legal aid & advice, and Information about various schemes of NALSA, Central, State Government etc.He said that said that The Legal Assistance Establishment (L.A.E.) in the Punjab State Legal Services Authority is having exclusive facilities like Helpline No.1968, Dedicated landline telephone : 0172-2216690,Dedicated email I.D : [email protected], Video Conferencing with DLSAs and Jails, Mobile phone with dedicated number: 8284866885, Internet facilities for accessing the websites of Supreme Court, Punjab & Haryana High Court, District Courts in the state of Punjab, NALSA, other important Courts/Tribunals and availing information from website of PULSA itself, Services of legal aid lawyers for dispensing legal aid and advice; and Services of PLVs to assist the legal aid lawyer and to help the litigants in filling up forms for legal aid etc.
Earlier in the day Mr. Justice Dipak Misra, Mr. Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court and Patron-In-Chief, Punjab Legal Services Authority, Mr. Justice S.S. Saron, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority inspected the, handmade articles & handiwork made by special children of Prah Aasra, Padiala and Bhagat Puran Singh Educational School, Amritsar. Besides Judges from Punjab and High Court Prominent amongst other who were present on this occasion included, Mrs. Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Kuldeep Singh Chahal, S.S.P, Mrs. Archna Puri, District and Sessions Judge, Mrs. Harpreet Kaur, Member Secretary, Punjab Legal Services Authority, Mr. R.P. Singh S.D.M., Legal aid Panel Advocates and Para Legal Volunteers from the States of Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh and other Senior officers from Civil and Police administration.