Executive Chairman J&K State Legal Services Authority (J&KSLSA) Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar Friday said that endeavor of SLSA is to safeguard the rights of the marginalized and downtrodden section of society and advised Panel/Retainer lawyers and PLV’s to work in coordinated manner to streamline the justice delivery system at grass root level.The Justice said this while inaugurating the Retainer/Panel Lawyers, Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs) meet and training program which was jointly organized by J&KSLSA and District Legal Services Authorities of Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua and Reasi at Rajinder Singh Auditorium University of Jammu.In his address, Justice Ramalingam highlighted the objective behind the enactment of Legal Services Authority Act 1997 and said that PLV’s play an important role in the society for creating legal awareness in respect of constitutional rights in the State, being a link between the legal services institutions and general masses.He further stated that it is the paramount duty of PLV’s to safeguard right to education of women so to ensure that every child irrespective of gender in the villages are identified and persuaded to go to schools.
He also advised PLV’s to make theme songs at village and Tehsil levels on the same analogy as NLSA has done in its theme song “EkMuthiAasman” keeping in view the local needs of the people. He advised Panel/Retainer lawyers and PLV’s to put maximum efforts and work in synergy for the welfare of marginalized sections of the society. “We should all identify our roles and perform our responsibilities with zeal and enthusiasm,” he added.Member Secretary J&K SLSA R.N. Watal thanked Executive Chairman J&K State Legal Services Authority for persuading State Govt to principally agree for the creation of 22 Secretaries in the rank of Civil Judge Senior Division in the Districts of the State.Chairman DLSA Jammu, Vinod ChatterjiKoul presented the vote of thanks and said that Executive Chairman has been a source of inspiration as detailed out in the preamble of J&K State Legal Services Authority Act.The training part was imparted to Panel/Retainer Lawyers and PLV’s by Resource persons Jasmeet Singh ACR (Nazool) Jammu, Prof. Department of Law, University of Jammu Dr. Savita Nayyar, District Social Welfare Officer Jammu Dr. Vikas Sharma, and Advocate Miss Jyoti Sharma Trained TOT.