‘Devote time for legal aid services’: CJI Lalit to young law graduates

Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit stressed that the legal aid work in the country is a ‘bit neglected’ and told the students that legal aid services will instil a sense of compassion in them

Updated on: Sep 17, 2022, 17:33:11 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Stressing that the legal aid work in the country is neglected, Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit on Saturday said young law graduates should devote as much time and energy as possible to providing legal aid services.

Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit addressed the 9th convocation ceremony of National Law University, Odisha, at Cuttack on Saturday (File Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times)

Speaking at the 9th convocation ceremony of National Law University, Odisha, at Cuttack on Saturday, the CJI said that he had been associated with legal aid work from the past year-and-a-half and that work across the country in this field is a “bit neglected”.

“You are the young torch-bearers now. Think of legal aid to a certain extent. Devote your time, energy to the extent possible to legal aid work and it will again bring you back to that level of compassion. That compassion will drive you in the right direction. Legal aid services will also instil a sense of compassion,” said justice Lalit, who also heads the National Legal Services Authority.

The CJI also urged young law graduates to pursue judicial services in fields other than conventional options such as corporate law or litigation.

The legal profession has been among the front runners when it comes to keeping civil rights intact, he said, adding that the history of every society shows that legal minds have been the beacons and pathbreakers when it comes to raising a voice against injustice.

Speaking at the same event, Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, who attended the convocation as a guest of honour, said society can survive and be stable as long as the law encouraged inclusion and plurality.

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“There is a great danger of our age — the danger of our wanting to associate with like-minded people. I would implore all of you to associate with, of course, like-minded people, but also people who are not as like minded. Because you will learn a great deal from people who think differently, who dress differently, who eat differently, who believe differently or who don’t believe in you at all. So please, do remember to associate with others who are not necessarily of the same genre as you are,” he said.

Later, CJI Lalit inaugurated paperless courts in 30 districts of Odisha at a special function. Under the new system, touch-enabled laptops will be provided to judicial officers for the paperless courts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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