New Delhi, Jan 25 – A total of 2,648 legal services clinics opened in villages across India on Friday in a significant step that will bring legal aid to the people’s doorsteps.
Chief Justice of India Justice P Sathasivam inaugurated the launch of the legal services centres which will be manned by a lawyer and two para-legal volunteers, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
Justice R M Lodha, who is also executive chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), said at the event the clinics will provide legal support and aid to villagers who are unaware of their rights and the country’s laws.
“Every village or cluster of villages must have a legal service clinic,” he said.
“Our efforts are to ensure that no citizen will be deprived of justice and everyone, who deserves justice, receives justice,” Lodha said.
NALSA, a statutory body, launched a nationwide programme to set up legal aid clinics in one village in every ‘taluk’ or administrative subdivision in the country.
The clinics will also provide assistance to villagers in obtaining their Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Aadhaar (identification) cards, election ID, gas connection and government welfare schemes.
– Bernama
