Free Legal Aid Is Offered By Court Clinics To Visiting Inmates.

 
It is the first time ever, when over 4000-6000 jail inmates visiting lockups at various Delhi Court complexes every month, will be able to avail Free Legal Aid through ‘Clinics’ set up by Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) in Dwarka .
Aim of the Clinics is to provide legal help to the accused/convicts who otherwise are unable to discuss their cases with the lawyers due to lack of time or other constraints, besides enabling free legal aid to those who can’t afford it. Even those who already have free legal aid lawyers can find space for interactions there.
DSLSA Member Secretary Sanjiv Jain said that due to numerous constraints, legal aid lawyers are unable to visit the jails & interact with their clients before evidence is recorded or arguments begin in the trial “Many inmates don’t get a legal representation as a result; the clinics will make things convenient for both lawyers & inmates,” he said.
When a Jail inmate is produced in Court, they are first taken to the lockup in respective Court complex; Delhi has 6 Court complexes with lockups.
Additional Secretary of DSLSA Naveen Gupta recognised these lockups as the best place for the clinics to come up. “The inmates can be made aware of other rights that not only an accused can exercise during investigation/trial but also a prisoner in custody,” he said.
The DSLSA has decided to depute a  legal aid counsel from 10am-5pm every day at these clinics. The lawyer will be available even on weekends & public holidays. They will be paid an honorarium equivalent to a front office advocate on the DSLSA’s panel.