In a significant statement on Wednesday, the Supreme Court emphasized that awareness is fundamental to the success of the legal aid system in India. During the delivery of a comprehensive verdict focused on the enhancement of legal aid services, particularly for prisoners, Justice B R Gavai highlighted the necessity of a robust and accessible legal aid mechanism.
The apex court issued multiple directives aimed at improving the visibility and accessibility of legal aid services across the country. It was specified that essential information such as addresses and contact details of the nearest legal aid offices should be conspicuously displayed at public locations, including police stations and bus stations.
Further strengthening its commitment, the court underscored the role of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in collaboration with state and district authorities. The objective is to streamline and enforce standard operating procedures that ensure inmates in jails have seamless access to legal aid.
Justice Gavai remarked, “For the success of the functioning of the legal aid mechanism, awareness is undoubtedly the key.” He insisted on a dynamic approach where the system is periodically updated to ensure that the benefits of legal services reach even the most remote areas of the nation, especially targeting those in dire need.
The Supreme Court also called for the implementation of diverse promotional strategies. This includes the distribution of informative material in various local languages and the use of media outlets such as radio and Doordarshan to enhance the reach of these campaigns.
The ruling also involves continued support and cooperation from both central and state governments to foster the effective execution of these initiatives. The apex court has made it a point to forward the judgment to all high courts, recommending the consideration of a practice direction. This direction would mandate that courts, including the high courts, attach a cover sheet to judgments that inform the convicted about the availability of free legal aid for pursuing higher judicial remedies.
This directive came to light during a case concerning the overcrowding in jails, where NALSA revealed that approximately 870 convicts from 18 states and union territories expressed their desire to appeal their convictions after being informed about free legal aid.
