Mineral production grows by 8 percent in February (See 'Corp Brief') SARFAESI Act - Court refrains to adjudicate matter on merits when matter is already pending in DRAT : HC (See 'Legal Desk') Coal production in April up by 7.4% (See 'Corp Brief') SEBI Act - Appellants have made case for stay as rigours of directions of SEBI order would adversely affect business of Appellant as well as their clients : SAT (See 'Legal Desk') Trade Mark Act - Marks 'BETSONE' and 'BETASON' are deceptively similar to registered trademark 'BETNESOL' and visually, phonetically and structurally alike, with minimal alterations : HC (See 'Legal Desk') Voting by tribal communities blossoms as ECI's outreach to them bears fruit (See 'Corp Brief') SARFAESI Act - No fault can be found with respondent financial institution invoking Section 14 of SARFAESI Act by approaching District Magistrate, Rewa : HC (See 'Legal Desk') Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs observes Swachhata Pakhwada (See 'Corp Brief') Arbitration Act - Arbitral award cannot be interfered with if view of arbitral tribunal is plausible one : HC (See 'Legal Desk') IBC - Asset memorandum shall not be accessible to any person during liquidation : IBBI (See 'Legal Desk') Critical Minerals Summit concludes (See 'Corp Brief') Cr.P.C. - While adjudicating on bail application court is duty bound to ensure that accused's right to life and right to health is not violated : HC (See 'Legal Desk') PMLA - Petitioner cannot claim bail as matter of right for treatment only at specialized hospital of his choice : HC (See 'Legal Desk') SEBI (Research Analysts) Regulations, 2014 for ontravention of RA Regulations Certificate of Registration of Noticee Gaurav Sarda can be cancelled : SEBI (See 'Legal Desk') REC Ltd declares financial results, records highest ever annual net profit (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Marks Act - Defendant's adoption of Trademark is not in good faith and potential confusion encroaches upon Plaintiff's statutory trademark rights : HC (See 'Legal Desk') SEBI Act - Noticee was maintaining call records which were sent to SEBI : SEBI (See 'Legal Desk') Arbitration - Petition u/s 29A for extension of mandate of Arbitral Tribunal can be filed even after mandate has expired : HC (See 'Legal Desk') Mines Ministry to hold 2-day Critical Minerals Summit (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - When one party owes debt to another and creditor is claiming under written agreement providing for rendering 'service', debt is operational debt if claim of debt has some connection with service : SC (See 'Legal Desk') Companies Act - Stamp duty @5% market value of property is liable to be paid only when property is situated within State of Madhya Pradesh otherwise not : HC (See 'Legal Desk') SEBI Act - Final opportunity of inspection of documents and cross-examination of witnesses should be given to Appellants : SAT (See 'Legal Desk') SARFAESI Act - Mere discovery of new or important matter or evidence is not a sufficient ground for review ex debito justitiae : HC (See 'Legal Desk') Conference organized on Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA -Bail application can be dismissed as petitioner failed to satisfy conditions for grant of bail : HC (See 'Legal Desk') CSIR, NIScPR organize national workshop to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day (See 'Corp Brief') SEBI Act - Appellants have failed to substantiate their claim of financial distress nor have they brought any new fact or circumstances requiring grant of interim relief : SAT (See 'Legal Desk') ACC delivers lifetime highest annualised PAT (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Mark Act - Marks are visually phonetically and deceptively similar to Plaintiffs' trademarks : HC (See 'Legal Desk') SJVN inaugurates First Multi-purpose Green Hydrogen Pilot Project (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Even if CIRP commences, Directors, who are incharge of affairs of Company cannot be absolved of any wilful default committed by borrower Company : HC (See 'Legal Desk') REC to extend loan of Rs 1869 Cr for Kiru Hydro Electric Project (See 'Corp Brief')

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Govt launches three schemes to increase accessibility of legal aid

Published: Apr 20, 2017

By TIOLCORP News Service

NEW DELHI, APR 20, 2017: Minister of Law & Justice and Electronics & IT, Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad today appealed to all those involved in the delivery of justice to join hands in improving the system to ensure that assistance is available to every citizen irrespective of his socio-economic position. He said this after the launch of three key legal aid and empowerment initiatives of the Department of Justice – including ‘ Pro bono  legal services', ‘Tele law service' and ‘ Nyaya Mitra  scheme'. The Minister also mentioned that the country's legal system would be digitally transformed, as digital inclusion holds the key to the country's march towards Digital India.

The Minister emphasized the need for increased opportunities of legal aid and awareness for people, especially the marginalized sections of the society. He said that the three initiatives launched today were aimed at fulfilling the department's core mandate of enhancing ‘access to justice' for the poor and vulnerable communities, including making accessible quality and effective legal aid for them. He acknowledged and appreciated the initiatives undertaken, over the last two decades, to safeguard and deliver this right to citizens, first, by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and subsequently by the Department of Justice – both of whom have the shared mandate of delivering adequate and efficient legal aid to the marginalized and vulnerable sections. The Minister also underscored that the initiatives launched by the department here are to supplement the efforts of NALSA and not to overlap the activities undertaken by the legal services authorities.

Pro bono legal Services

The ‘ Pro bono legal services' initiative is a web based platform, through which interested lawyers can register themselves to volunteer pro bono services for the underprivileged litigants, who are unable to afford it. The Department of Justice has launched the online application for this initiative on its website doj.gov.in . Through this online portal, litigants from marginalized communities (including members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, women, children, senior citizens, persons with low income and persons with disabilities) can also apply for legal aid and advice from the pro bono lawyers. The Minister called upon all lawyers from across the country to wholeheartedly support this initiative and help in fulfilling the constitutional mandate of legal aid for all.

Tele Law: Mainstreaming Legal Aid through Common Service Centre

Through the second initiative, launched by the Minister, the Department of Justice and NALSA are partnering with CSC- E- Governance Service Limited for mainstreaming legal aid to the marginalized communities through the Common Service Centers (CSCs). This initiative, called ‘Tele Law' , is aimed at facilitating delivery of legal advice through an expert panel of lawyers – stationed at the State Legal Services Authorities (SLSA). The project would connect lawyers with clients through video conferencing facilities at CSCs, operated by para legal volunteers. For this purpose, this initiative would also play a pivotal role in empowering 1000 women para legal volunteers. The project would be launched across 1800 panchayats in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, North Eastern States and Jammu & Kashmir.

District Facilitation Centre to reduce pendency: Engagement of Nyaya Mitra

The Minister also inaugurated the Nyaya Mitra scheme, which is aimed at reducing pendency of cases across selected districts, with special focus on those pending for more than 10 years. Functionalized through a retired judicial or executive officer (with legal experience) designated as the ‘Nyaya Mitra', the project would be operated out of District Facilitation Centres, housed in CSCs. Nyaya Mitra's responsibilities would include among others assistance to litigants who are suffering due to delay in investigations or trial, by actively identifying such cases through the National Judicial Data Grid, providing legal advice and connecting litigants to DLSA, CSC Tele Law, other government agencies and civil society organisations. He/she shall also refer the marginalized applicants to Lok Adalats for dispute resolution and render assistance towards prison reforms within the district, in coordination with the district judiciary and other stakeholders.

The Minister stated that the department was committed to fulfilling its mandate of securing access to justice through these initiatives and called for support and action for all stakeholders in making them a success.

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