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Chandigarh: Getting legal aid a click away, DLSA launches app
The app was formally launched under the aegis of national legal services authority (NLSA), New Delhi, by Justice Ritu Bahri, acting chief justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court
In an effort to make the legal aid accessible to the people of villages surrounding the city, district legal services authority launched a mobile app “Share and Salute Chandigarh” on Tuesday.
The app was formally launched under the aegis of national legal services authority (NLSA), New Delhi, by Justice Ritu Bahri, acting chief justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a function organised in Chandigarh Judicial Academy.
The app will reach out to thousands of people living in 21 villages in the periphery of Chandigarh by forming teams of panel advocates and para legal volunteers. As one downloads the app, the person has to register by adding simple details. It has the features for seeking legal aid for filing/defending cases in Union Territory, Chandigarh; seeking legal aid/relief in permanent and continuous lok adalat; details regarding legal aid clinics; new initiatives of Chandigarh district legal services authority as well as details about the schemes of Chandigarh administration.
Navjeet Klair, CJM-cum-secretary, DLSA, said, “Earlier, villagers had to come to the office to get application forms for legal aid, but now they can fill and submit the form from their homes.”
She added, “The app provides a platform for residents to upload their grievances relating to availability of various social welfare schemes, public utility services etc. If they are facing any issue with regard to getting benefits of social welfare schemes, they can share a complaint, can upload a photograph, video or a voice message. Following which, DLSA and approved adopters of these villages would make efforts to resolve the problems in co-ordination with concerned departments.”
Klair said that this is a community initiative and they would welcome other departments to join hands.
Those who were present included Justice Lisa Gill, judge, High Court of Punjab and Haryana-cum-executive chairperson, SLSA ; Justice Rajbir Sehrawat, judge, High Court of Punjab and Haryana-cum-administrative judge, Chandigarh sessions division; Justice Lapita Banerji and Justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan, judges, High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh; Arunvir Vashista, district and sessions judge, Chandigarh; Surender Kumar, member secretary, SLSA, UT, Chandigarh.
