Legal Aid Defense Counsel System established in District Legal Services Authority Amritsar

Amritsar, August 23 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority Punjab State Legal Services Authority SAS Nagar the Legal Aid Defense Counsel System has been established in the office of the District Legal Services Authority Amritsar and the same was inaugurated through virtual mode by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ravi Shanker Jha Chief Justice Punjab & Haryana High Court and Patron-in-Chief Punjab State Legal Services Authority in the august presence of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court cum Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority and Sh. Manjinder Singh Member Secretary Punjab State Legal Services Authority, SAS Nagar.

Ms. Harpreet Kaur Randhawa District & Sessions Judge -cum- Chairman District Legal Services Authority Amritsar told  that realizing the need to ponder over the reforms required in the Legal Aid Movement of India a new model of Legal Services Delivery, the ‘Legal Aid Defense Counsel System’ (LADCS), in line with public defender system, is introduced by National Legal Services Authority.

They further apprised that ‘Legal Aid Defense Counsel System involve full time engagement of lawyers with support system, dealing exclusively with legal aid work in criminal matters at every stage starting from the pre-arrest, arrest & remand stage to the conclusion of trials and appeals etc. It will enhance the availability and accessibility of Legal Aid in a timely manner and help in creating a mechanism to provide qualitative and competent legal services in a professional manner to underprivileged and disadvantaged section of the society. Inaugural ceremony was also attended by Sh. Rachhpal Singh PCS Civil Judge (SD)/CJM -cum- Secretary, District Legal Services Authority Amritsar and newly appointed Advocates of Legal Aid Defense Counsel System.

Ms. Harpreet Kaur Randhawa District & Sessions Judge Amritsar told that with the introduction of LADCS the legal aid work in the criminal matters shall be handled by the Legal Aid Defense Counsels engaged under the Scheme. Further this scheme will reduce the pendency of criminal cases in the courts because the appointed legal aid counsel under this scheme will conduct the cross examination of the witness on the vary day, when the witness is examined in the courts.