CENTRAL GUIDELINES FOR LEGAL AID SYSTEM

New Delhi, 17 October 2005

New Delhi, October 18 (INFA):  The Union Government is thinking of expanding the scope of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 by including senior citizens, dependent family members of the armed forces, personnel of paramilitary forces who died in action, and victims of terrorist/extremists violence and riots, in the categories of persons entitled to get legal aid.

Also, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice has decided that the legal aid work and representatives of nodal departments of Central/State Governments/UT Administrations concerned with issues relating to social welfare, gender justice etc. would be included in various Legal Services Authorities and Committees.

This forms part of the guidelines which the Ministry has issued to the State Governments to improve the Legal Aid System in the country.

Other advice sent to the States in this regard includes that it should be brought to the notice of the appropriate Government in advance before launching any new project/mission for legal aid by the Legal Service Authority.  This is to be done to ensure that the project does not suffer for want of funds at a later stage.

Keeping in view the limited judicial manpower, Secretaries of Legal Service Authorities should not only be appointed from amongst serving officers of Judicial Services but they should also be sensitized persons.

The expenditures on tours, conferences and functions being incurred by the Legal Services Authorities should not be more than the expenditure incurred on real legal aid to the poor.

An appropriate panel of Legal Aid Counsels by each Legal Services Authority/Committee may be maintained, particularly at the district and taluka levels, wherever it is not available.

The adequate representations to the advocate belonging to the weaker sections of the society, such as the SCs, STs, OBCs and women should be given panel of Legal Aid Counsels.  It should also be ensured that the cases of beneficiaries belonging to the weaker sections should be handled by the advocates of weaker sections on panel as they have a better understanding of the problems faced by these weaker sections of the society.  At least, 50% of the persons in the panel as Legal Aid Counsels should belong to the weaker sections.

The Legal Service Authority/Committees at the district and taluka levels should be allocated specifically earmarked funds.  The provision of specific financial allocations coupled with the grant of financial independence to these Authorities/Committees may help in providing legal aid to the needy in an expeditious manner.---INFA

 TTD MOVES TO NEW FRONTIERS

Hyderabad, October 18 (INFA): Here is good news for devotees who plan to visit to Tirupati.  Now one no longer has to wait endlessly in queues for a ‘darshan’ ticket or even accommodation at Tirumala.

Keeping pace with the Corporate trends, the Administrators of the TTD Devasthanams are introducing Call Centres to provide all informations on ‘darshan’ and accommodation.  Devotees can call from any part of the world to check their reservation status.  The TTD also offers online booking and e-darshan facilities in 33 Centres across Andhra Pradesh.----INFA