SC Judge Justice Surya Kant presides
SRINAGAR: On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), in collaboration with the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and the J&K Legal Services Authority, hosted a landmark regional event at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Srinagar.
The conference marked the launch of the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana-2025 and the North Zone Regional Conference on “Reaffirming the Constitutional Vision of Justice for Defence Personnel & Tribals: Bridging the Gaps. The programme was presided over by Justice Surya Kant, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman, NALSA.
Dignitaries present included Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Justice, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor, UT of J&K, Justice Arun Palli-Chief Justice High Court of J&K and Ladakh, Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister, Justice Sanjeev Kumar-Executive Chairman J&K Legal Services Authority, Justice Sindhu Sharma Executive Chairperson Ladakh Legal Services Authority, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command and other sitting Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, senior military leadership, and members of civil society.
Justice Sindhu Sharma, in her welcome address, introduced the twin objectives of the conference – justice for the defence families and tribal communities as moral and constitutional imperatives. She described the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana as a symbol of national gratitude and empathy, designed to provide legal support through legal clinics operated by trained ex-servicemen acting as Nyaya Mitras. Chief Justice Arun Kumar Palli, in his keynote address, highlighted the neglect of protective provisions under the Army, Navy, and Air Force Acts, calling for their urgent revival and institutional implementation. He announced the development of a digital case management system (DTCMS) tailored to address the needs of defence personnel.
Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, delivered an emotionally resonant address highlighting the practical and psychological burden borne by soldiers due to legal proceedings during deployment. He praised the judiciary’s move as a transformative and morale-boosting reform.
Justice Sanjeev Kumar emphasized the constitutional imperative of tribal inclusion and access to justice. He announced the establishment of 22 Samvad Units under Samvad Scheme-2025, a NALSA initiative to ensure legal services reach Scheduled Tribes and other nomadic groups. Innovations under the scheme include mobile legal vans, tribal paralegal volunteers, and mobile hospital partnerships.
In a key highlight, engagement letters were handed over to Veer Naris and ex-servicemen formally joining the scheme as paralegal volunteers.
The logo of the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana – 2025 was unveiled, and a special kiosk promoting traditional Ladakhi handicrafts was inaugurated by Justice Surya Kant and accompanying judges.
Additionally, three Mobile Hospital camps launched by the Ladakh Legal Services Authoritywas virtually flagged off by Justice Surya Kant, Justice Sindhu Sharma, and the Northern Command Commander.
These camps were organized by the District Legal Services Authority Kargil, in collaboration with the District Health Department and Army Medical Corps, to serve nomadic and remote populations in the region. A special message of blessings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama was also received for the programme, adding a deeply spiritual note to the day’s proceedings. Prior to the vote of thanks, the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana – 2025 was officially rolled out by all present Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, senior defence officials, and dignitaries. Dr. Ajit Atri, Director NALSA delivered the vote of thanks, acknowledging the collective efforts of the judiciary, government, legal services institutions, and military leadership in building afuture- focused, inclusive, and compassionate justice delivery framework.
The programme was followed by two technical sessions: one focused on the rights of Armed Forces personnel, and the other on expanding legal access for tribal communities. Both sessions featured leading judges, military officers, and senior advocates and bureaucrats.