Need to provide legal aid at doorsteps of underprivileged: SC judge

Supreme Court Judge Justice Ranjan Gogoi today said the underprivileged sections of the society should be provided the benefits by delivering legal aid at their doorsteps.

The need of the hour is to provide legal aid at their doorsteps, Justice Gogoi, who is also the Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NLSA), said today.

He was speaking at a one-day state-level conference on Empowering the Marginalised through Legal Services here.

Justice Gogoi said that NLSA and SLSA provide the opportunity to bring the marginalised at par with other sections through legal services.

In his keynote address, Justice N V Ramana maintained that access to justice and rule of law to weaker sections of the society are signs of development and of a prosperous country.

People are equal before the law, but the problem which is still persistent is that the marginalised are unaware of their legal right, he said.

Justice Ramana stressed upon sensitisation of the underprivileged. Unfortunately legal aid is still treated as charity and people at the helm of affairs like lawyers, paralegal volunteers should come forward to make these people aware law, welfare schemes and policies, he added.

Acting Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Alok Aradhe, in his welcome address, said the aim of the conference was to make weaker and marginalised sections of the society aware about the existence of legal services institutions and availability of free legal services.