STATE TIMES NEWs
JAMMU: Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh, Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey on Wednesday participated in a programme at district Jail Amphalla here to celebrate National Legal Services Day.
While speaking on the occasion, Justice Magrey emphasized that timely and inexpensive justice is the right of every prisoner and the Legal Services Institutions across the UTs of J&K and Ladakh are bound to provide competent and free legal aid to the prisoners. The Chief Justice interacted with the prisoners and assured them to redress their genuine grievances. The jail inmates presented a remarkable cultural performance.
The day is being observed as a part of the Pan India Campaigns: ‘Empowerment of Citizens through Legal Awareness and Outreach’ and ‘Haq_humara_bhi_to_hai@75’.
The campaigns are meant to bridge the gap between the institutions and the underprivileged by spreading legal awareness and ensuring delivery of legal entitlements to eligible beneficiaries and for providing basic legal assistance to persons confined in prisons and child care institutions respectively to commemorate the 75th year of Independence.
The campaigns were launched by Dr. Justice D. Y Chandrachud, Chief Justice of India, the then Executive Chairman, NALSA on 31st October 2022.
And in this regard, J&K and Ladakh Legal Services Authorities under the dynamic leadership of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, Patron-in-Chief, J&K and Ladakh Legal Services Authorities and under the guidance of Justice Tashi Rabstan, Executive Chairman, Ladakh Legal Services Authority, Legal Awareness Camps about the rights and remedies available to the prisoners were organized in all the jails and Child Care Institutions in the UTs of J&K and Ladakh to commemorate the National Legal Services Day.
During the campaign period numerous legal awareness programmes were organized as the field teams of the Legal Services Institutions interacted one and one with the jail inmates to ensure that they are represented by a lawyer. The focus of the campaign is also to provide free legal counselling/assistance including drafting and filing of appropriate applications etc.
It was also ascertained that every prisoner is provided updated information regarding status of his case and facilitated communication with lawyers and helped them to contact with their family or friends physically or virtually.
In Child Care Institutions, for children in conflict with law, it was ascertained that the child is represented by a lawyer and also ensured that he is in contact with his/her guardian and was made aware of the status of his case. The Campaign would conclude on November 13, 2022.