HALSA declared best in country

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 17

Haryana State Legal Services Authority (HALSA), located at Sector 14 here, has been declared the ‘Best State Legal Services Authority’ in the country for its achievements and ensuring access to justice to all.

Besides, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Gurugram, has been adjudged best in the North Zone of the country.

Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, who is also Executive Chairman of HALSA, Puneesh Jindia, Member Secretary, and Sunil Kumar Dewan, Joint Member Secretary, HALSA, attended the commendation ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on December 15.

It was organised to appreciate the efforts made by legal services authorities in the direction of rendering free and competent legal services to the underprivileged sections of society.

During the ceremony, executive chairpersons, member secretaries of all state legal services authorities of India and nominated panel lawyers and para legal volunteers (PLVs) participated.

Union Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad was the chief guest on the occasion.

Jindia stated that various strategies and initiatives were undertaken by HALSA to achieve goals laid down in the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. He added that HALSA held various campaigns and programmes to make people aware about their legal rights and spread legal literacy.

“Regular training programmes are being organized for panel lawyers and PLVs for their capacity building. We have got conducted a study on prison reforms, which will soon be implemented. There is a scope of improvement. We have not allowed anyone to go without legal aid,” he said.

Regarding the DLSA, Gurugram, he said they digitized their front office and also undertook a first ever medico-legal literacy programme in association with the Indian Medical Association, Gurugram.