ACTION PLAN FOR 2013-14

THE MIZORAM STATE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY

ACTION PLAN FOR 2013-14

            The State and District Legal Services Authorities exists to ensure that the Constitutional Mandate of promoting justice based on equal opportunity, providing free legal aid, and justice to all citizens irrespective of their economic backgrounds or other disabilities. It is to ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes Justice by giving equal opportunities to all. So as to achieve the ideals as enshrined in the Constitution, the Act, and the Rules, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) empowered to frame the most effective and economical schemes, circulated to the States various schemes for implementation. For effective implementation of the schemes during 2013-14, a Calendar for Activities has already been circulated by NALSA. Taking into consideration the constitutional mandate, the Schemes & Calendar of Activities drawn by NALSA, and also taking into account the prevailing local, geographical, demographic, and financial condition, the Mizoram State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) has framed the following Action Plan for the year 2013-14 which are considered to be practical and realistic with regards to the State.

VISIT TO JAIL AND HOMES

The Authorities shall ensure regular visit Jail within their jurisdiction every month by the Secretary and / or the Chairman so as to identify the following amongst others : under trial prisoners languishing for want to legal aid; whether any convicts are undergoing imprisonment in the jail who are were juveniles on the date of occurrence of the case charged against them; whether any juveniles are detailed in the prisons; mentally ill persons are detained in the prisons; whether any non-criminal mentally ill persons are detained in the prisons; whether compliance of the order of the Supreme Court in R.D.Upadhyay Vrs. State of A.P. (2007) 15 SCC 337; AIR 2006 SC 1946 in relation to the care of the children below the age of six years living with their mothers in the prisons; and any other matter specially brought to the attention of the District Legal Services Authority by any Court or by way of a complaint from other sources. Special Lok Adalats inside the jails also be organize for dealing with compoundable criminal cases of the under trial prisoners. Appropriate remedial action by way of legal aid, shall be given to the persons detained in the jails either by way of providing lawyers or by writing to the superior authorities of the jail.

The Authorities shall also make an endeavour to visit the various Homes viz., observation, protective, old age, etc. so as to identify their problems, whether the inmates received benefits envisaged in the statute, whether the institutions are run as per the relevant enactments, etc and bring to the notice of the competent authorities so that remedial measures, if any, may be taken.

LEGAL LITERACY CAMPAIGN

Importance of legal awareness of citizens about the laws relating to their duties, rights and responsibilities cannot be over emphasised. The ultimate aim of legal literacy is to create awareness so that potential legal problems are addressed at its nascent stage. It would indirectly work towards lowering the dockets and thereby provide means for solving huge pendency of cases. Therefore, focussed legal campaigns will be conducted at least once a month at different levels keeping in mind the target groups and the particular goal to be achieved. The campaigns must address the problems of children, women, senior citizens, etc. It may be conducted in coordination with authorities ofschools, colleges, localities, various groups and NGOs having the same interest.

OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

The legal angle of the theme of any National & International events must be explained,  propagated, and canvassed by the Authorities so that the social objective of such observations are achieved.

LOK ADALAT

Constituting Lok Adalats at each DLSA for settlement of pre-litigation and well as post-litigation cases. Constitution of benches will depend upon the number of matters received. Frequency of holding Lok Adalats shall be as per requirement and not less than once a month.

TRAINING OF PARA LEGAL VOLUNTEERS

Para Legal Volunteers (PLV) acts as harbingers of legal awareness and legal aid at the grass root level. They are expected to act as intermediaries between the common man and legal services institutions thereby removing barriers of access to justice. An endeavour will be made to impart training to about three to five volunteers from each and every village within the State. Training for such volunteers may be conducted by associating volunteers of about five villages at a time. Similar focus may be given to volunteers from different localities within town, institutions, colleges, schools, etc.

ESTABLISHMENT OF LEGAL AID CLINICS

Establishment of Legal Aid Clinics (LAC)in association with the Local Councils / Village Councils, NGOs, and Officials, in maximum number of villages of the State during the year. The LAC shall be manned by the trained PLVs of the same village. Exploring viability of establishing Village Level Legal Services Authoritymay also be looked into.

ORIENTATION, WORKSHOP, TRAINING & MEETING

Conduct of Orientations/Workshops/Meetings to sensitise Legal Aid Counsels, Para Legal Volunteers, members of JJB & CWC, Police & Excise personnel on Human rights and relevant laws on Women and Juveniles, Caretakers of various Homes, officials engaged under ITPA, etc.

Conduct of Training Program for staff of the SLSA and DSLA on matters relating to office procedures, maintenance of files, books of accounts, and the role they could play in matters of legal services, etc.

Periodic meetings of the DLSA Chairmans and Secretaries with the Member Secretary of the SLSA for coordination & strategy for better implementation of the action plan.

OPTIMUM UTILISATION OF PRINT & AUDIO-VISUAL MEDIA

Widest possible circulation of the benefits of Legal Services through print & audio-visual media: talk shows, live question-answer programmes, documentary films, etc.

Submission of still photographs and video clippings of activities of the District authorities to the State authority to be used as inputs for preparation of documentaries and films.

Improvement in form and content of the periodicals and journals issued by the MSLSA so as to make it more attractive, interesting, and less expensive.

STRENGTHENING OF THE STATE AND DISTRICT AUTHORITIES

In coordination with the officials of the State Government, the concerned officials of the State and District authorities will take up efforts to materialise the framework of functioning of the authorities as envisaged in the Act, Rules, and Regulations, and for setting up separate or identifiable DLSA centres with front offices for legal aid clinics.

SCHEDULE FOR PROPER AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN 2013 – 14