Leh, June 21: Judge, High Court of UTs of J&K and Ladakh, Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur, who is also the Executive Chairman, Ladakh Legal Services Authority (LLSA), advised the legal services authorities at both the district and tehsil Level to render effective legal services and aid to ensure that the rights of the people, particularly from the marginalised and vulnerable sections, are protected.

Justice Thakur was speaking during a series of activities held in Leh district today during the week-long services outreach programme, Enabling to Serve.

Justice Thakur termed the para-legal volunteers as the real warriors of the cause on the ground and reminded them of their responsibility to understand the plight of people in remote and inaccessible areas and make them aware of their entitlements. 

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Justice Thakur highlighted that ‘Access to Justice’ is in line with the constitutional mandate of our country. He stressed the need to adopt a target-oriented approach by the DLSAs and TLSCs. He directed them to submit monthly performance reports for adoption and emulation of successful practices and strategies. Justice Thakur impressed upon the concerned officials to put a display board in front of every panchayat ghar about the schemes and benefits with the helpline numbers to create awareness about various welfare schemes and corresponding entitlements.

Justice Thakur underlined that the legal services authorities should strive to reach the deepest and remotest corner. He also stressed the need to prepare and maintain a data bank by the respective DLSA or TLSC scientifically with the assistance of the social welfare department and rural development department. Justice Thakur directed the concerned officials to encourage the settlement of disputes through Lok Adalats. 

Meanwhile, Ladakh Legal Services Authority organised an online training programme for panel lawyers and para-legal volunteers in collaboration with the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) Leh on the role of panel lawyers and PLVs in helping access to justice.

Earlier, Member Secretary, LLSA, MK Sharma, highlighted that the week-long legal services outreach and training programme in UT Ladakh is an effort to transform LLSA into an efficient, result-oriented and one of the best performing legal services authorities of the country. He expressed hope that the training programme would help the participants acquire new skills, sharpen existing ones and increase productivity.

Sub-judge Swati Gupta shared the importance of access to justice for the justice delivery system. She apprised the participants about the objective behind access to justice and the importance of legal assistance, particularly at the pre-arrest, arrest and remand stages of the criminal justice system. Sub-judge Swati Gupta emphasised the role of panel lawyers and their duties in granting legal aid and assistance at all stages of the criminal procedure. She advised the panel lawyers to adopt and embrace technology at ease whenever required by them.

Resource person Chemit Yurgyal termed communication skills as a mandatory aspect for PLVs during personal interaction and community dealings to convey the existence of their rights, schemes floated by the administration and their entitlement.

The online training programme was presided by Executive Chairman, LLSA, Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur in the presence of Member Secretary, LLSA, M.K. Sharma; Principal District & Sessions Judge & Chairman DLSA Leh, Deepak Sethi; Principal District & Sessions Judge & Chairman, DLSA Kargil, Mohammad Rafiq Chak; Chief Judicial Magistrate, Leh, Spalzes Angmo; Sub Judge, State Judicial Academy, Swati Gupta; Secretary, DLSA Leh, Phuntsog Angmo; Chairman, TLSC Khaltsi, Chemit Yurgyal; President, Bar Association Leh, Mohammad Shafi, panel lawyers, PLVs and other judicial officers from District Leh and Kargil.

Justice Thakur also inspected the site for the LLSA office. MK Sharma, member secretary, LLSA, accompanied him.