New Delhi: Touts and middlemen - that ubiquitous tribe in local government and utility offices who expedite work for a payment - will soon be an endangered species. Their work will now be done free of cost by professionals --lawyers and para-legal workers -- under an ambitious scheme that plans to set up a legal aid clinic (LAC) in every village.
This scheme was approved recently by the apex body of National Legal Services Authority (NLASA),which included Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia and the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court Justice Altamas Kabir. Though the main aim of these legal aid clinics,which will function from panchayat offices in villages,is to help solve disputes without allowing them to mature into litigation in courts,the lawyers and para-legal workers would also render other services like preparing applications for job cards under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Women with law degree and three to four years practice at a local court would be given preference for appointment as lawyers in the legal aid clinic,said member secretary of NALSA,U Sarathchandran.
Lawyers will get not less than Rs 500 per visit to the LAC while a para-legal worker will get Rs 250 per day.The LAC lawyers and para-legal workers will "liaison with the government offices and public authorities and help the common people to solve their problems with the officials", he said. "Legal aid clinic shall work like a single-window facility for helping people to solve their problems where the operation of law comes into the picture,"Sarathchandran said.
Dealing with local disputes between villagers,the LAC would work for an amicable settlement and if the lawyer felt the need for more professional intervention to stop it from reaching the courts,he/she would seek help from the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA). "Lawyers rendering legal services in the LAC may request the DLSA to send Mobile Lok Adalat Van with members of the Lok Adalat Branch for visiting the LAC for settlement of the disputes identified by him/her,"the member secretary said.Interestingly,NALSA plans to involve law students in the working of the LAC scheme.
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(source-toi)
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