Celebration of ‘National Legal Services Day’
Panchkula November 9: To mark the significance of ‘National Legal Services Day’ on November 9 ,2023, Haryana State Legal Services Authority (HALSA), Panchkula has organized the State Level Commendation Ceremony of Best District Legal Services Authorities, Panel Advocates, Mediators and Para Legal Volunteers. The purpose of the Commendation Ceremony was to boost the morale of the team of Legal Services Authorities and acknowledge the work and efforts made by them to achieve the motto of ‘ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR ALL”.
The day of 9th of November is observed as ‘National Legal Services Day’ as on this day in the year 1995, the Legal Services Authorities came into existence. This Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 was passed with the objective of fulfilling one of the directive principles of State policy enunciated in Article 39A of the Constitution of India. The Act makes provision for giving free and competent legal services to various categories.
Ms. Justice Ritu Bahri, Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Patron-in-Chief, Haryana State Legal Services Authority graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Her Lordship launched the Victim Compensation Portal and Instructions Manual-2023 prepared by HALSA, in the benign presence of Mr. Justice Arun Palli, Judge, High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jasjit Singh Bedi, Judge, High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Administrative Judge, Sessions Division, Panchkula.
The event was also attended by Sh. Baldev Raj Mahajan, Advocate General, Haryana, Sh. Yash Garg, Special Secretary, Information & Technology Department, Haryana, Sh. Sushil Sarwan, Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula and other officers from District Administration, Panchkula.
That apart, Ms. Kanchan Mahi, District & Sessions Judge, Ambala, Ex-officio Member of Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Sh. Ved Parkash Sirohi, District & Sessions Judge, Panchkula and other Judicial Officers of Sessions Division, Panchkula, Chief Judicial Magistrates-cum-Secretaries, District Legal Services Authorities of Haryana, Panel Advocates, Mediators, Para Legal Volunteers, In-charge Coordinators of Legal Literacy Clubs etc. joined the event.
Victim Compensation Portal has been developed for online filing of applications for compensation throughout the State of Haryana. Otherwise, the applications for compensation are received offline under the Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme which envisages grant of Compensation to the eligible Victims of Crime like rape, loss of life, injury causing disability or loss of limb or severe mental agony to women and child victims in cases like Human trafficking, kidnapping, molestation etc. The purpose of launching a victim compensation portal is to make the application process more accessible, efficient and transparent while also facilitating data management and reducing administrative costs. This ultimately helps ensure that victims of crime receive support and compensation they are entitled to in a more effective and user-friendly manner.
Instructions Manual-2023 has been prepared for the District Legal Services Authorities of Haryana to have a clear understanding of the organization’s processes, procedures and expectations. A well-structured manual can be a valuable resource for new incumbents as it provides a reference guide to help them get up to speed more quickly and efficiently. Effort has been made to include all the instructions/guidelines starting to till date as issued from NALSA/HALSA to the DLSAs for its proper and smooth functioning. In the Commendation Ceremony, HALSA announced 36 Awards under different categories for Best DLSAs, Panel Advocates, Mediators and PLVs at State and Zonal level for their sheer efforts and commitment towards their work. The District Legal Services Authorities, Hisar and Kaithal have been adjudged best DLSAs in Haryana under categories (i) Court Based Services and (ii) Outreach Activities respectively.
Amongst the nominated Panel Advocates of Haryana, Sh. Sonu Kumar, Panel Advocate, DLSA, Karnal, Sh.Jaineer Kajla, Panel Advocate, DLSA Hisar and Sh. Rajbir Kashyap, Panel Advocate, DLSA Rohtak were awarded with the title of Best Panel Advocates for their contribution under categories (i) civil, (ii) Criminal and (iii) outreach activities respectively at State Level. Ms. Mahi Malik, Panel Advocate, DLSA Sonepat was adjudged as Best Pro-Bono Advocate and Sh. Ravinder Gupta, Mediator, DLSA Faridabad was adjudged as Best Mediator in Haryana.
Ms. Jogender Kaur, PLV, DLSA, Kurukshetra was adjudged as Best PLV for outreach activities, Sh.Sandeep, PLV, DLSA Bhiwani as Best PLV Prison, Ms. Apurva Bhalla, PLV, DLSA, Ambala as Best PLV Student and Sh. Fateh Singh, PLV, DLSA Kaithal based upon activities and initiative at Help Desks set up, National Lok Adalats, Other HALSA/NALSA Schemes at State Level.
That apart, 25 awards were presented to Panel Advocates, Mediators and PLVs under different categories (i) Best Panel Advocate- Civil, (ii) Best Panel Advocate-Criminal, (iii) Best Panel Advocate for Outreach Activities, (iv) Best Pro-Bono Advocate, (v) Best Mediator, (vi) Best PLV for outreach activities, (vii) Best PLV convict, (viii) Best PLV Student and (ix) Best PLV based upon activities and initiative at Help Desks set up, National Lok Adalats, Other HALSA/NALSA Schemes, at Zonal Level.
This Commendation Ceremony serves as a momentous occasion to recognize the invaluable contributions of our team, whose relentless efforts have propelled our Legal Services Institutions to greater heights.
