‘Awareness’ Key to Success of Legal Aid Mechanism: Supreme Court

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 23rd Oct. The Supreme Court on Wednesday emphasized the importance of awareness in ensuring the success of the legal aid mechanism and called for a robust system to guarantee that legal aid services reach every corner of the country.

The bench, led by Justice B.R. Gavai, highlighted the need for accessible information about legal aid services, particularly in public places such as police stations and bus stands, where the contact details of nearby legal aid offices should be prominently displayed.

Passing several directions aimed at improving legal aid access for prisoners, the court instructed the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to collaborate with state and district legal services authorities to efficiently operate standard procedures for providing legal aid to inmates. The court noted, “Awareness is the key to the success of the legal aid mechanism.”

The court also called for a system that is periodically updated to ensure that legal services authorities’ beneficial schemes reach the people they are meant to serve, particularly those in remote areas. It suggested that promotional campaigns and literature in local languages be widely distributed, using mediums like radio and Doordarshan, to maximize outreach.

The bench urged the central and state governments to continue extending their cooperation to legal services authorities for the effective implementation of these measures. Furthermore, it directed that all high courts consider appending information about free legal aid services to judgments, particularly those involving convictions and bail dismissals, to inform convicts of their rights to pursue higher remedies.

During a hearing in July, NALSA informed the court that around 870 convicts across 18 states and Union Territories had expressed their intent to file appeals after being informed of their eligibility for free legal aid. The Supreme Court’s directives aim to address issues of overcrowding in jails and ensure access to justice for all.