New Delhi, Jul 27 (LAB) The Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana today inaugurated the Front Office of the Supreme Court Legal Services Centre (SCLSC) which will now help to reach out to the weaker and marginalized sections of society.
The front office of the SCLSC was upgraded under the guidance of Justice Khanwilkar to enhance the quality of legal services rendered to reach, facilitate and enable the weaker and marginalized sections of society to get justice.
The SCLSC has been re-structured in consonance with the Vision Statement of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee to act as a one-stop center for legal aid seekers and will render various legal services to those in need of assistance in the Supreme Court.
The functions of Front Offices will include legal services such as legal advice, attending legal aid helpline, receiving and maintaining records with regard to legal aid applications, uploading legal aid applications on the Web Portal of SCLSC, maintaining up-to-date data of court-based matters on digital platform and informing Legal Aid Beneficiary about particulars of a Panel Lawyer to whom his matter is assigned.
Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Chairman, SCLSC, Justice U.U. Lalit, also the Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Justice Abhay S. Oka, Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari, Justice P.S. Narasimha, Justice Jamshed Pardiwala, and other Supreme Court Judges and SCBA Vice President Pradeep Rai were present during the inauguration ceremony.
The Chief Justice of India is also the Patron-in-Chief of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.
The Front Office has been re-structured and re-oriented in such a manner that it will facilitate confidential interactions between a legal aid seeker and a panel lawyer. A comfortable waiting area has also been provided. The Front Office has been fully equipped with computers and electronic hardware to leverage technology and to make use of the recently developed and launched SCLSC’s Web Portal and digital platform. The front office has got interconnectivity with the Main Office of SCLSC Jail and other Legal Services Authorities and also facilitates Video Conferencing of the legal aid applicants with the authorities of SCLSC or the concerned official dealing with the matter./LAB/SNG/