The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Reach out to the poor, and get them justice'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 26, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Reach out to the poor, and get them justice'

Staff Reporter

Justice Sabbarwal inaugurates Legal Services Authority website

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Judge and Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Justice Y.K. Sabbarwal, on Thursday said that instead of an adjucatory role, the judges should now play a participatory role in delivering justice to the poor.

Inaugurating a website (www.dlsa.nic.in) of the Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) at the Delhi High Court, Mr. Justice Sabbarwal advised the Authority's officers across the country to reach out to the poor people, know their grievances and get them justice.

The Authority staffs at the district and the sub-divisional levels is better placed to perform this function as they interact more closely and frequently with people at the grassroots level, Mr. Justice Sabbarwal stated.

Stating that State governments, including the Delhi Government, were not releasing requisite funds to the Authority, Mr. Justice Sabbarwal suggested that we should explore alternative means of resources.

`Approach MPs for funds'

Giving an instance of the Andhra Pradesh State Legal Services Authority about how it met the financial crunch, Mr. Justice Sabbarwal said that the State Authority took up the problem with the State MPs and persuaded some of them to release some amount from their MP Local Area Development Fund for providing infrastructure and staff to the Authority.

He also stressed the need for having a conciliation centre at each State Authority on the lines of the Chennai and the Jharkhand State Authorities.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court Acting Chief Justice and Executive Chairman of DSLSA, Justice B.A. Khan said that the lack of infrastructure at DSLSA was coming in the way of optimum utilisation of the institution.

Delivering the vote of thanks, Justice Vijender Jain of the High Court allayed the apprehension of lawyers that the Legal Services Authority is in competition with courts.

The Authority is in fact complementary to it, he stated.

He also said that there is no dearth of funds as there are several organisations outside the government, which are ready to sponsor holding of Lok Adalats.

Referring to holding of a Lok Adalat where civil disputes involving as much as Rs. 36 crores were settled, Mr. Justice Jain said that a private power distribution company and a bank had donated Rs. 1 lakh each for meeting the expenses.

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