Apex Court Judge says 'senior lawyers must render pro bono legal aid by choice for poor'

In a noteworthy development, on October 24, Supreme Court judge Justice Uday Umesh Lalit urged senior advocates in the country to render pro bono (for the public good) legal aid to the destitute and the marginalised sections in order to ensure quality access to justice for all. Justice Lalit, who is the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority, was addressing an event organised by Karnataka State Legal Services Authority in association with the District Legal Services Authority, Kalaburagi on 'Actualisation of Rights and Entitlements in achieving Sustainable Development Goals-2020'.

"Merely training the panel lawyers will not be sufficient. The solution to the problem is that some of the senior advocates must take legal aid as a matter of choice and keep on appearing for matters pro bono so that the man who comes through the door of legal aid service clinic is assured that it is not going to be a matter which is botched up and a quality legal aid will be extended to him," Justice U U Lalit said.

Justice Uday Umesh Lalit speaks on empowering women

Moreover, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit emphasised the importance of empowering the poor and downtrodden and said legal aid to the poor does not mean it is of poor level; assistance to the marginalised has to be of better quality and standard. Emphasising the importance of empowering women, the Supreme Court judge said that a woman should be empowered to an extent that they run shoulder to shoulder with everyone.

Further, Justice Lalit hailed the efforts of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority concerning the establishment of the off-campus legal services clinics, and the release of a graphic book to spread legal literacy. The National Legal Services Authority and Karnataka State Legal Services Authority have worked towards bringing justice to the people's doorstep by spreading legal awareness amongst common people and transforming one into an informed citizen.

As part of the National Legal Services Authority's pan-India Awareness and Outreach Campaign and on the occasion of United Nations Day celebrated on October 24 to mark the anniversary of the UN Charter, an event was organised in association with District Legal Services Authority, Kalaburagi. Around 300 members of the Banjara Community (known as Lambanis) attended the program along with notable judicial officers, law students and legal teachers.

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