HC concerned over functioning of Legal Aid Services

Madras High Court Bench here today expressed serious concern about the functioning of the state Legal Aid Services Authority, especially in creating awareness among the prisoners about seeking assistance in filing appeals in criminal cases among others.
A Division Bench comprising Justices V Dhanabal and M Duraiswamy made the observation while hearing a petition seeking to condone the delay in an appeal filed by a murder accused six years after his conviction.
The Judges wondered why the Petitioner did not get any help to file his appeal for six long years.Whether the jail officials enquired from him whether he needed any help or told him about Legal aid available to him.

The legal aid services in districts were claiming so much about the help rendered by them to the poor people. "Is it all only for those who remained outside the Prison and not for those inside the Prison? Is it only for publicity?"
They were supposed to create awareness among the prisoners about the scope for appeal. Even the district judges and the high court judges were supposed to visit the Prison to inspect whether those who were inside the prison were getting legal aid or they were aware of such facility.
In this case, petitioner Veeramani, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on April1 8, 2007 by the Additional District and Sessions Judge of Pattukottai, does not seem to be aware of such a help, the court said.

The very objective of legal aid services was defeated if a prisoner was not aware of such a scheme,the Judges said and asked the Prisoner to file an affidavit before the court regarding whether the prison authorities conveyed to him about the help available to file appeal.

The Judges also directed the Central Prison officials at Tiruchirappalli to file an affidavit regarding programmes conducted by them for creating such awareness.
The petitioner said he could not file an appeal because his family was poor.
The judges felt that there mights be thousands of such prisoners who may not be getting any help. Every person should get the right due to him, and the court wanted to ensure that every person got justice. A person should not be denied justice because he was poor and could not file case or appeal.

The appellant was charged with murdering a woman and her son on October 23, 2003.