Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Amjad A Sayed inaugurates Legal Aid Defense Counsel System

Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Amjad A Sayed inaugurates Legal Aid Defense Counsel System

It will provide legal aid, assistance, and representation in criminal matters in line with the Public Defender System

The Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice, Amjad A. Sayed, has inaugurated the Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) offices in Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, Kangra, Kullu, and Una.

The offices of the six districts headquarters were announced in the presence of High Court's Justice Sabina, the executive chairperson, HP State Legal Services Authority and other judges, Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, Justice Sandeep Sharma, Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua, Justice Satyen Vaidya, Justice Sushil Kukreja, and Justice Virender Singh.

LADCS was conceived to be implemented at 12 places on a pilot project basis by the National Legal Services Authority. After its success, it has been extended to 365 places in the District Legal Services Authorities of 22 states.

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) had set a target to identify 50 percent of district legal services authorities for running LADCS at the district headquarters. LADCS is initiated for providing legal aid, assistance and representation in criminal matters in line with the Public Defender System. The offices provide:

- Legal advice and assistance to all individuals visiting the office of LADCS, District Legal Services Authority and front office.

- Representation/conducting trials and appeals, including all miscellaneous work in all criminal courts such as the Court of Session, Special Courts and Judicial Magistrate Courts, including the Executive Magistrate Courts.

- Handling remand and bail work.

- Providing legal assistance at the pre-arrest stage as per the need and also in accordance with NALSA's scheme for providing such assistance.

- Any other legal aid work related to the district courts or as assigned by the secretary, DLSA.

- Periodic visits of prisons of the district under the guidance of the secretary, DLSA.

Others present on the occasion included, the registrar general, the registrars, the central project coordinator, the director, HP, Judicial Academy, and the additional secretary, HP State Legal Services Authority.

The district and sessions judges of the six districts, along with judicial officers, office bearers and members of the Bar associations, secretaries, DLSAs, newly appointed Legal Aid Defense Counsels and other invitees joined the event virtually.

Prem Pal Ranta, the member secretary of HP State Legal Services Authority, welcomed all present on the occasion. He thanked the Chief Justice and other judges for gracing the occasion. He said that it was made possible under the leadership of the Chief Justice and the guidance of Justice Sabina.

Meanwhile, the Chief Justice appreciated the efforts put in by the HP State Legal Services Authority for the successful implementation of LADCS.