Legal care and support centres were today inaugurated in East Jaiñtia Hills district which are aimed to provide legal relief to the backward sections of the society.
The centres were inaugurated by judge of the Meghalaya High Court Justice HS Thangkhiew at Jaiñtia Eastern College, Khliehriat and St. Anthony’s Extension College, Byndihati.
Thangkhiew said that the centres will cater to all citizens who are in need of legal help and support and the thrust is on the basic legal aid services like legal advice, assisting in drafting of notices, replies, applications, petitions, etc. He also informed that these centres will be attached with a panel lawyer and a paralegal volunteer.
Urging the lawyers and volunteers to have a sense of commitment, sensibility and be sensitive to the problems of the people he said, “The end goal is to provide inexpensive local machinery for rendering legal services of basic nature and, also to prevent disputes from reaching the court.”
He also called upon citizens in need of legal aid not to hesitate to come forward and visit the centres to get the required assistance.
Thangkhiew also spoke on the Para- Legal Volunteers (PLVs) Scheme meant to impart legal training to volunteers selected from different walks of life to ensure that legal aid reaches all sections of people through the process of volunteers.
He said the role of the volunteers is to remove the barriers and act as intermediaries to bridge the gap between the common people and the legal services, legal institutions, to reach out to the people at their door step, to impart awareness, act as counsellors and to amicably settle minor disputes at the source itself.
Meanwhile, a one day orientation training programme for the newly recruited PLVs was held at Byndihati as part of Pan India Awareness and Outreach Program, “Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.” Panel lawyers were also felicitated on the occasion and prizes were distributed to winners of the Essay and Slogan Writing competitions which were held on Gandhi Jayanti.
Registrar General of the High Court of Meghalaya cum Member Secretary, Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, E. Kharumnuid, A.M. Ripnar, Registrar (Judicial Service), High Court of Meghalaya, C. Dkhar, District and Session Judge, East Jaiñtia Hills District cum Chairman District Legal Services Authority and East Jaiñtia Hills Deputy Commissioner, Ethelbert Kharmalki and others were present on the occasion.
