Jharkhand legal Services Authority (JHAlSA) became the first among its counterparts in other States to formulate a definite action plan towards the effective implementation of seven legal services schemes launched by National legal Services Authority (NAlSA) for delivering competent legal services to those in need.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Training Module regarding the NAlSA 7 Schemes were released on Saturday by Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court Justice Virendra Singh, who also happens to be the Patron-in-Chief of JHAlSA. The documents are meant as instructions for those responsible for implementing these schemes.
As per the plan every district will have seven separate 15-member committees for each of these schemes. The committees will consist of para-legal volunteers, lawyers, police officials and officials from different organisations who will not only deliver legal services in accordance to these schemes but also aware people about them.
“JHAlSA needs to reach the last man in the queue with these schemes. These are important schemes meant to help the society, but we need a proper methodology to implement these schemes. From there, came the idea to develop a SOP for these seven legal schemes,” said Justice Virender Singh on the occasion.
“NAlSA must endeavour to put an end to child marriage and witch-hunting cases with its legal services schemes,” stated Justice RR Prasad, Jharkhand High Court Judge and Chairman of High Court legal Services Committee regarding NAlSA (Protection and Enforcement of Tribal Rights) Scheme, 2015 while shedding light on the NAlSA 7 schemes.
“We will be contacting Deputy Commissioners from all 24 districts of the State to help us bring representatives of tribal populace in the loop with the NAlSA 7 Schemes. Police officials will be included in the committee for their experience on the matters to be covered under the scheme,” Singh further added.
There should be only one patron per district to supervise these schemes so that there are no off-work procedures, he suggested. “The SOP released by JHAlSA, being the first in India, will be forwarded to NAlSA. The SOP includes uses of the NAlSA 7 Schemes along with their benefits. The scope of this document is vast as it covers not only the schemes but also has the relevant peripheral laws,” stated Jharkhand High Court Judge Justice DN Patel.
But before implementation of these schemes we need to train the responsible personnel and spread awareness in a systematic and scientific manner, Patel added.
Meanwhile, a National lok Adalat was also convened today, where 13,63,634 cases were resolved out of 15,63,772 cases which were taken up, generating a total settlement amount of `11,52,11,22,764. “Between January and October this year, several lok Adalats have been convened where 27 lakh cases have been handled, which generated total settlement amount of `651 crores. More than three thousand have been filed from across the state by JHAlSA,” informed Patel. “The rate of disposition of cases is quite high in the state. This year has been very satisfactory in terms of resolving cases pending in courts of law. Pending cases are being disposed swiftly which is a good sign,” Singh stated.