JOLLANG, 3 Nov: The Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (APSLSA) organised a two-day ‘Paralegal volunteer (PLV) induction training programme’ for the students of Lekhi-based Arunachal Law Academy (ALA) at Himalayan University here on Thursday.
“During the programme, APSLSA Member Secretary Yomge Ado highlighted the hierarchy of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), the SLSAs, and the DLSAs, and its executive bodies and their functions at the grassroots level. He also informed the students about the chairman and the secretaries of the district legal services authorities (DLSA), which are implementing bodies of the legal aid programmes and schemes in the districts, headed by the district & sessions judge,” the APSLSA informed in a release.
“Ado also dwelt on the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which ensures to provide free and competent legal services to the needy and weaker sections of the society, and stressed on how PLVs can act as a bridge to reach out to the common people and educate them about their basic legal rights,” it said.
Advocate Sum V Darang of the Papum Pare DLSA informed about the roles and importance of legal aid clinics and PLVs, “which is a legal bridge between the justice system and the aggrieved people,” and advocated “educating those belonging to weaker sections of the society and the underprivileged people who live in far-flung areas and villages about various schemes and basic legal rights,” it said.
“Darang provided insights into dealing with the Juvenile Justice Act and its aim to rehabilitate and reintegrate delinquents into the society. She also highlighted that an FIR cannot be lodged of a child until and unless it’s a heinous crime, and spoke on how the cases should be child-friendly, citing various real-life cases,” the release read.
Advocate Amit Saring highlighted the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and said that “the purpose of this Act is to provide all the protection to children.”
He said also that the identity of the victim “should always be hidden and confidential.”
Saring also spoke on various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), 1985, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, and informed the students about “the ill-effects of these practices,” it said.
Advocate Geba Lomi highlighted the provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, and “the challenges faced by women due to polygamy and domestic violence,” it said.
Advocate Iken Ado educated the students about the rights of disabled persons, and the Legal Services to the Mentally Ill and Disabled Persons Scheme, 2015, and said that “it is a matter of perception and it should not be stigmatised.”
He also informed them about the Legal Services to Senior Citizens Scheme, 2016.
Advocate Kalung Tatu explained the Arunachal Pradesh Victim Compensation Scheme, 2011, and the NALSA (Legal Services to Disaster Victims) Scheme, 2010.
ALA Law Department Head L Malem Mangal informed the students about “information and technology and the responsibility of a law student to evolve, transform and become a social agent in transforming our society,” the release stated.
Gangtok-based Sikkim Professional University vice chancellor Prof Hardeo Singh Yadav encouraged the students to work for the welfare of the common people.
The programme, which was attended by 312 participants, concluded with distribution of certificates.
